UAE, MBS and MBZ

Muhammad bin Salman, the crown prince and de facto ruler of Saudi Arabia, and Muhammad bin Zayed, the emir of Abu Dhabi and president of the UAE, have a lot in common. 

MBS and MBZ, as they are often known, used to get on so well. A decade ago Saudi Arabia and the UAE were allies fighting the Houthis, a Shia militia that had seized much of Yemen in 2014.

Even when they are theoretically on the same side, as in Yemen, the pair often fail to co-operate, helping draw out the misery and bloodshed. 

Not even the existential threat posed by the war in Iran, which has throttled their oil exports and shredded America’s security umbrella, has convinced the two countries to put their differences aside. 


Instead, their petty rivalry is abetting the demolition of a vast region of 250m people.

The Economist 22 October 2026


Houthis

https://englundmacro.blogspot.com/2026/10/houthis.html


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