Even With Billions In Arms The Saudi Military Campaign In Yemen Is Falling Short

DELEGATION: U.S. President Obama, with Saudi Arabia's King Salman last year, wants regional allies to take more responsibility for their own security. REUTERS/Jim Bourg

Angus McDowall, Phil Stewart and David Rohde, Reuters: Yemen’s guerrilla war tests military ambitions of big-spending Saudis

Riyadh has spent tens of billions on new US weaponry. But its intervention in neighbouring Yemen has not gone smoothly.

RIYADH/WASHINGTON – Six years ago, Saudi and American officials agreed on a record $60 billion arms deal. The United States would sell scores of F-15 fighters, Apache attack helicopters and other advanced weaponry to the oil-rich kingdom.

The arms, both sides hoped, would fortify the Saudis against their aggressive arch-rival in the region, Iran.

But as President Barack Obama makes his final visit to Riyadh this week, Saudi Arabia’s military capabilities remain a work in progress – and the gap in perceptions between Washington and Riyadh has widened dramatically.

The biggest stumble has come in Yemen. Frustrated by Obama’s nuclear deal with Iran and the U.S. pullback from the region, Riyadh launched an Arab military intervention last year to confront perceived Iranian expansionism in its southern neighbour.

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WNU Editor: A true David vs. Goliath story.

Update: And the Saudis are running out of money to boot .... Saudi Arabia takes out $10bn in bank loans (CNBC).