Double Standards: US Backs One Pro-Iran Shiite Militia, Counters Other

Washington has again found itself in an embarrassing situation demonstrating a double-standard approach in its Middle Eastern foreign policy: while backing an Iran-led offensive against ISIL it has started providing assistance for Saudi airstrikes on Yemeni Shiites, supported by Tehran, Kelly continued.

Washington vows to provide intelligence sharing, targeting assistance, advisory and logistical support for Saudi Arabia that had launched an air campaign against Shiite Houthi forces on Wednesday night with a coalition of ten other nations. The Houthis, the country's Shiite religious minority, consider Yemen, one of the poorest Arab states, as an Islamic nation, oppressed by the United States.

It is believed that Houthis are supported by Iran, a powerful Shiite state in the region. So far, the US has obviously put itself in an awkward position.

While supporting pro-Iran Shiite forces’ advance in Iraq and bombing Sunni ISIL extremist fighters in Tikrit, the US at the same time is backing massive airstrikes against another pro-Iran Shiite nation. 

On the other hand, it remains unclear why Washington is meddling in the internal affairs of the sovereign Yemeni state, providing intelligence, targeting and advisory aid for the nations who unleashed an assault on the Arab country, noted another Twitter user.

While Washington has pledged to support the Saudi Kingdom in its efforts to counter Shiite Houthi fighters, allegedly backed by Tehran, the US-Iranian nuclear deal has been seemingly put under threat.

Remarkably, the US and Iran have resumed negotiations on Thursday, aimed at reaching an agreement on the nuclear deal before the March 31 deadline. The question remains open if Washington will be able to handle the situation in the region torn by sectarian and tribal contradictions.