Leiden University Student Repository

Bie, Anne de (2023)

British support for the Saudi military operations in the Yemen War: why does this alliance continue?

Bachelor thesis | International Studies (BA)

In order to identify why the British government continues their support for the Saudi military operations in the Yemen War, this research focuses on three major British policy areas: (geo)politics, security, and economics. British geopolitical interests in backing the Saudi military operations in Yemen focus on expanding their own regional influence in the Middle East. British relations with Iran influences the British strategy towards the Yemen War, as this was is perceived to be a proxy war between Iran and Saudi Arabia, in which the UK engages in substitution warfare to counteract the enlargement of the Iranian sphere of influence. Further security interest of the UK to continue their support for Saudi Arabia in Yemen is to counteract the terrorist presence of the AQAP in Yemen, which fits into a wider trend of British counterterrorism policy. Furthermore, British arms sales to the Saudi army play a role in British security as well as economic interests in the Yemen War. The...Show moreIn order to identify why the British government continues their support for the Saudi military operations in the Yemen War, this research focuses on three major British policy areas: (geo)politics, security, and economics. British geopolitical interests in backing the Saudi military operations in Yemen focus on expanding their own regional influence in the Middle East. British relations with Iran influences the British strategy towards the Yemen War, as this was is perceived to be a proxy war between Iran and Saudi Arabia, in which the UK engages in substitution warfare to counteract the enlargement of the Iranian sphere of influence. Further security interest of the UK to continue their support for Saudi Arabia in Yemen is to counteract the terrorist presence of the AQAP in Yemen, which fits into a wider trend of British counterterrorism policy. Furthermore, British arms sales to the Saudi army play a role in British security as well as economic interests in the Yemen War. The contested British arms sales to Saudi are continued both to strengthen the Saudi military power and to benefit from the lucrative military arms market. Lastly, this research discusses the influence of the oil market on the British determination to continue their support for Saudi Arabia in the Yemen War, relating to energy security facilitated by Saudi oil.Show less

Yemen War

UK-Saudi relations

geopolitics

security

oil

proxy war

substitution warfare

UK-Iran relations

British arms sales

British foreign policy in Middle East

counterterrorism

Author

Bie, Anne de

Faculty

Faculty of Humanities

Specialisation

Europe

Supervisors

Shaev, B.

ECTS Credits

15

Language

en