Yemen: Anatomy of a Forgotten War MTA
State Collapse, Humanitarian Catastrophe, and the Regional Power Contest

About this book:

*Yemen: Anatomy of a Forgotten War* provides a comprehensive analysis of the Yemeni conflict, tracing its roots from ancient civilizations and the Zaydi imamate through the 1962 republican revolution and the fraught 1990 unification. The book details how the patronage-based "Saleh system" eventually collapsed under the pressure of the 2011 Arab Spring, leading to a failed transition that allowed the Houthi movement to seize Sana’a in 2014. This internal power struggle transformed into a regionalized catastrophe with the 2015 intervention of a Saudi-led coalition, creating what the authors describe as a multi-layered contest over state legitimacy and regional influence.

The text meticulously examines the conduct of the war across diverse frontlines, highlighting the evolution of asymmetric technologies such as Houthi drones and missiles, and the strategic importance of the maritime theater in the Red Sea. It explores the rise of localized de facto authorities, including the Southern Transitional Council, and the opportunistic expansion of jihadist actors like AQAP. A central theme is the "war economy," where formal institutions have been replaced by predatory networks that exploit smuggling and resource extraction, further incentivizing the continuation of hostilities.

Stark attention is paid to the resulting humanitarian calamity, characterized by widespread famine, the collapse of the healthcare system, and historic outbreaks of cholera. The book emphasizes that the crisis is not merely a byproduct of fighting but a consequence of deliberate strategies, including blockades and the systematic non-payment of public sector salaries. The narrative illustrates how displacement and the erosion of education have specifically endangered women and children, threatening to leave a generational legacy of trauma and social fragmentation.

The concluding chapters argue for a pragmatic, inclusive peace roadmap that moves beyond high-level diplomacy to incorporate local tribal mediation and grassroots peacebuilding. The authors assert that durable stability requires comprehensive security sector reform to integrate various militias into a national force, alongside urgent economic stabilization measures. By reunifying financial institutions and ensuring equitable revenue sharing, the book suggests that Yemen can move from state collapse toward a recovery that is fundamentally Yemeni-owned and regionally guaranteed.

What You'll Find Inside:

• Historical roots of division: How Yemen's conflict stems from centuries of north-south split between Zaydi imamate and British-influenced south, with unification attempts repeatedly failing due to ideological and economic disparities.
• The Saleh system's legacy: Analysis of how decades of patronage, military fragmentation, and oil dependence under Ali Abdullah Saleh created structural weaknesses that enabled state collapse.
• Multilayered conflict dynamics: Examination of how local grievances (Houthi revivalism, southern separatism), jihadist exploitation (AQAP/ISIS), and regional power plays (Saudi/UAE/Iran) intertwine to sustain the war.
• Humanitarian catastrophe documented: Detailed evidence of how blockade, economic collapse, and fighting created the world's worst humanitarian crisis with famine, disease outbreaks, and mass displacement affecting 80% of the population.
• Pragmatic peace pathways: Framework for ending the war through localized ceasefires, economic stabilization, security sector reform, and inclusive political processes addressing root causes like resource distribution and governance.

Who's It For:

This book is essential for policymakers, humanitarian practitioners, and scholars seeking to understand Yemen's conflict beyond superficial narratives. It provides the historical context, structural analysis, and on-the-ground insights necessary for designing effective peacebuilding and aid interventions. Researchers studying civil wars, regional proxy conflicts, or humanitarian emergencies will find its integrated approach invaluable. Journalists and analysts covering the Middle East will gain the depth needed to contextualize current events within Yemen's long-standing fault lines.