Non-Resident Scholar
Ibrahim Jalal is a Yemeni security, conflict and defense researcher based in the UK, an Erasmus Scholar, and a co-founding member of the Security Distillery Think Tank. His research examines the UN-led peace process in Yemen, U.S. counter-terrorism strategy in Yemen, the politics of the Arab coalition, the hybrid rise of the Houthi insurgency, Gulf security, Iran, and the evolving security architecture of the Middle East.
Since 2011, Ibrahim has worked with several academic, private and non-governmental organisations in Yemen, Malaysia, the UK, Ireland, and Australia. He has also delivered talks and debriefings to a diverse scope of audiences. Most recently, Ibrahim was a visiting scholar at Macquarie University s Department of Security Studies and Criminology in Australia.
The Biden administration needs a Yemen policy
A Biden presidency is a great opportunity to revisit past U.S. interventions toward Yemen, which were shortsighted and counterproductive. The administration needs to adopt a new approach that can help end the conflict in the country and protects U.S. interests in the region long term. Despite its strategic importance, previous U.S. administrations viewed Yemen solely through a security lens, where assistance has been defined by counterterrorism objectives. For decades, the U.S. provided former President Ali Abdullah Saleh with training, arms, and funding that the dictator used to solidify his power and oppress his own people, leading to the 2011 youth uprising.