The issue is that the sovereignty of nation states is a somewhat nonsensical idea that has little to no solid philosophical backing. Nations aren’t living things and shouldn’t have rights in the same way people have. They are imaginary constructs, and the consequences of this are inevitable debates over what is or is not a nation. But there is no clear dividing line or definition—and in this ambiguity, powerful nations are free to recognize or ignore nations as they choose.

If you support the US action, you can claim that the Houthis are not a sovereign nation, the action was at the invitation of the legitimate government of this region against an terrorist organization, and was entirely legal and justified.

If you oppose the action, you claim that Houthis are a group of freedom fighters who have established a new separate nation that should be recognized, and this action was an illegal violation of that newfound sovereignty.

Neither can be said to be completely correct or incorrect because there is no solid basis for this idea of sovereignty.

[–] HobbitFoot@thelemmy.club -3 points 10 months ago (1 children)

I look at it more like this.

If you treat the Houthis as a non-sovereign entity, they can be attacked freely under international law by the international community as pirates.

If you treat the Houthis as a sovereign entity, they can be attacked under international law by affected nations as the attacks can be interpreted as an act of war.

So it doesn't really matter if they are sovereign or not.

[–] n2burns@lemmy.ca 5 points 10 months ago (1 children)

It matters because if the Houthis are a non-sovereign entity, then POTUS can order an attack under prior congressional approvals. However, if they are a Sovereign State, then attacking them would be an act of war, requiring congressional approval.

[–] HobbitFoot@thelemmy.club -3 points 10 months ago

If the issue is with American law instead of international law, then you need to use the American list of recognized sovereign nations. Does the USA recognize the Houthis as leading a sovereign nation?

[–] n2burns@lemmy.ca -4 points 10 months ago

That doesn't answer my question either. I wasn't the one who brought up sovereignty, it was the article. It seems to ridiculous to say, this is “A Breach of Yemeni Sovereignty” but no one seems to able to assert the Houthis have sovereignty to start with.