Abigail Casey

The international system appears headed for a renewed era of intense competition among major powers. The authors sought to identify the factors that keep such rivalries stable and those that lead to conflictual outcomes. Leveraging theory and historical case studies, the authors created a framework for assessing the stability of a strategic rivalry, then applied it to the current U.S.-Russia and U.S.-China competitions.

The authors analyze the prospect that Iran will further invest in Yemen's Houthis and develop them into an enduring proxy group. The authors examine the Houthi movement's history, the Houthis' current relations with Iran, Iran's history of proxy development, and the trajectory of the Houthi-Iran relationship, and then pose scenarios for the future. The report should be of interest to a wide audience in the foreign policy and defense community.