The Iranian Whac-A-Moles: Houthis, Hezbollah and Hamas, by Peter Polack

The popular game in the West of Whac-A-Mole where strikes on a target result in more and similar targets are best described as a version of the Greek tale, Sisyphus. A punishment of repetitive and similar tasks without end.

This can also mean that who does not learn from errors of the past will repeat the same, both sides of the conflicts. A version of the most valuable subject, history, always repeating itself.

The masters of this modern game fall on the usual suspects, Iran and Russia, although their respective populations are probably too busy being oppressed to care.

In any event the effective sanctions by the outside world are unlikely to see copies of this board game reach the Kremlin or Majlis.

The Houthis apparently have a lack of accurate information on the demise of Hamas in Gaza or like some in the West, they are only receiving the spin version. In an effort to throw off masters connected to the West, they have embraced new and more ruthless masters.

They are unlikely to be able to consult other Whac-A-Moles or the military leaders of Hamas as they are all in hiding or exile, or dead as thousands of their underlings perish as faux martyrs or shaheeds.

Hezbollah is apparently becoming wary of absolute loyalty and direction from Iran, perhaps because  they received a recent sample of Israeli intention to decapitate leadership of any attack.

Unlike Hamas, they do not enjoy absolute control of Lebanon and there are many other parties to consider, many of whom have demonstrated their intentions in the past to reject domination by Hezbollah.

After the mindless 7th October attack, the Hezbollah leadership do not intend to have less after another bruising encounter with Israel.

The Iranian sponsored Houthis were in the midst a peace negotiation with the Saudis and the UAE when they had an outbreak of disastrous decisions on nearby shipping.

Their two richer neighbours were bloodied in an asymmetric conflict with the Houthis that saw men in skirts, chewing khat, and frequently burning million dollar abandoned armoured vehicles with dry grass.

History is replete with examples of subordinate states acting as satellites for their betters, including Vietnam, Angola and Afghanistan.

A cursory study of these small wars would disabuse the barest intellect from entertaining another such foray in whatever culture or language.

Ultimately, as entire Middle Eastern groups and states appear convinced to go down the rabbit hole they will become just that, Whac-A-Moles.

Image: By sa_ku_ra / sakura – *Source: Flickr image., CC BY 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=36174230

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Also by Peter Polack: 

EU: The Iron Wall, by Peter Polack – https://eutoday.net

Innocence is no Defence – Gaza and others, by Peter Polack – https://eutoday.net

Palestinians “have substantially less than before the mindless 7th October attack,” writes Peter Polack – https://eutoday.net

Cayman Islands: Treatment of Cuban Refugees a Crime Against Humanity? Peter Polack – https://eutoday.net

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Peter Polack is the author of:

The Last Hot Battle of the Cold War: South Africa vs. Cuba in the Angolan Civil War (2013)

Jamaica, The Land of Film (2017)

Guerrilla Warfare: Kings of Revolution (2018).

He was a contributor to Encyclopedia of Warfare (2013) and his latest book entitled Soviet Spies Worldwide: Country by Country, 1940–1988 will be published by McFarland in 2024.