John,

President Obama’s declaration back in 2013 that the GWOT was over, was not a statement made in some sort of triumphant ebullience or naivety, but more symbolic of a White House that was intent on assuaging the international image of the U.S. as perpetually engaged in war on terror, oblivious to critical opinion among its allies. (Shinkman, 2013)

A connoisseur in foreign relations, Obama hid the fact that the U.S. was embroiled in over 150 (mostly clandestine) operations across the globe, and pinpointing the Arabian Peninsula was a way of tactfully notifying Al Qaeda that its expansion in Yemen had not gone unnoticed. (Zimmerman, 2018)

This discussion piece could erupt into a full paper, but succinctly; the fundamental fact that was largely ignored pre Iraqi war, was the absolute entrenched enmity that exists between the two distinctive interpretations of Islam, and unfortunately the U.S. has become entwined with appeasing both ideologies, and yet both denominations, Sunni and Shia, resent the U.S. to the point of utter vitriol.

This bitter, generational-conditioned, religious hatred is endemic all over the world, and we even have an example of this nestled in a fully developed first world country, called Northern Ireland. Despite the existence of peace since the late 90’s, a wall, three times the height of the Berlin Wall runs through the heart of inner-city Belfast, preventing (mostly youth) Catholic and Protestants from attacking each other.

This religious fervor is magnified when placed in a less developed country without education and employment opportunities, and unfortunately, such an ideology exists within the heart of the Sunni creed, called Salafi jihadism, which does not respect political-territorial boundaries in its mandated quest of global caliphate at the expense of all unbelievers.

The very recent bipartisan and historic Senate and House invocation of the War Powers Act centered on the continued U.S. support of the Saudi-UAE coalition battling the Iranian backed Houthi (Shia) militia in the Yemeni civil war, is indicative of the never-ending nature of combatting a religious ideology intent on violence to achieve its contorted philosophy. (Edmundson, 2019)

The resolution was invigorated by the brutal assassination of Saudi journalist, Jamal Khashoggi by the Saudi regime, but it was also Congress redressing the balance of power away from the executive in a deliberate strategy to remind the White House of its role in preserving the essence of the Constitution despite its command of the military. (Edmundson, 2019)

Note: To further give credence to the strength of religious ideology in human determination of war, it is now revealed that Saudi Arabia has conducted covert meetings with Al Qaeda to rally its support in Yemen against both parties Sunni enemy: the Shia Houthis. (Michael, Wilson, & Keath, 2018)

References

Edmundson, C. (2019, April 5). U.S. role in yemen war will end unless trump issues second veto. Retrieved from https://www.nytimes.com/2019/04/04/us/politics/yem…

Michael, M., Wison, T., & Keath, L. (2018, August 7). US allies, al qaeda battle rebels in yemen. Retrieved from https://www.foxnews.com/world/us-allies-al-qaeda-b…

Shinkman, P. D. (2013, May 23). Obama: global war on terror’ is over. Retrieved from https://www.usnews.com/news/articles/2013/05/23/ob…

Zimmerman, K. (2018, May 11). The never-ending war on terror. Retrieved from https://www.foreignaffairs.com/articles/2018-05-11…