In this episode of Orion Talks, host Marta Furlan talks with Prof David Des Roches on the recent developments in Yemen as the US revisits its approach to the country under President Trump. Prof Des Roches starts by discussing the US approach to Yemen and the Houthis, over the past years – from the first to the second Trump Presidency, passing through Biden’s time in office. As he does so, he illuminates the differences in approach as well as respective strengths and weaknesses. He then helps us to make sense of the US’ recent re-designation of the Houthis as FTO and operations against Houthi targets. He emphasizes the possible effectiveness of this approach and how it connects with President Trump’s strategy towards Iran. To conclude, he reflects on how regional countries position themselves vis-a-vis these developments and offers his thoughts on the implications that the new US administration’s approach may have for the Red Sea/Gulf region.
David Des Roches is an associate professor at the Near East South Asia Center for Security Studies. Prior to this, he was the director responsible for defense policy concerning Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain, Oman, the United Arab Emirates and Yemen. Prior to this assignment, he has served in the Office of the Secretary of Defense as the Department of Defense Liaison to the Department of Homeland Security, as the senior country director for Pakistan, as the NATO operations director, and as the deputy director for peacekeeping. A British Marshall Scholar, he has also attended the Federal Executive Institute, the German Staff College’s Higher Officer Seminar, the US Army John F. Kennedy Special Warfare School and the US Army Command and General Staff College. An Airborne Ranger in the Army Reserve, he was awarded the Bronze Star for service in Afghanistan. He has commanded conventional and special operations parachute units and has served on the US Special Operations Command staff as well as on the Joint Staff.
