As evidenced by the news that the State Department is trying to secure the release of Yemeni employees taken hostage in an assault on the U.S. Embassy , the shortcomings of the Biden administration’s “diplomacy first” strategy are rapidly becoming evident in Yemen. The Houthis are consolidating gains to leverage the upper hand in the country’s civil war, and the hostage-taking is yet another ploy for more concessions.
Katherine Zimmerman is a fellow at the American Enterprise Institute and adviser to AEI’s Critical Threats Project. Follow her on Twitter @KatieZimmerman.
