MUST-READS

• Global Oil Markets
  The Saudis Are Losing Their Lock on Asian Oil Sales

  The state oil company, known as Saudi Aramco, shipped 53.8 percent of its 2013 oil exports to Asia, according to the company’s latest annual report. It may be keeping more heavy oil for its new Yanbu and Jubail refineries, according to Ul-Haq and Sivanandam. Once Yanbu is fully operational this year the two plants will have a combined capacity of 800,000 barrels a day.

• Global Oil Markets
  OPEC oil output hits highest since October on Iraq, Saudi

  In March, the largest increase has come from Iraq, whose southern oil exports recovered following bad weather that delayed tanker loadings, according to shipping data and industry sources. Northern exports were slightly lower.

  • Bloomberg - The Saudis Are Losing Their Lock on Asian Oil Sales
• War in Yemen: Saudi Foreign Policy
  Revealed: Saudi Arabia’s Plan to Transform the Middle East

  Between restructuring some of the country’s most important political and economic institutions and launching an unprecedented, large-scale military operation in a neighboring country on the verge of a civil war, we could be witnessing the beginning of a completely new Saudi way of thinking.

  • NYT (paywall) - As US and Iran Seek Nuclear Deal, Saudi Arabia Makes Its Own Moves
  • NYT (paywall) - Nasser's Ghost Hovers Over Yemen
  • The Economist - An easier road in than out
  • Foreign Policy - Make No Mistake — the United States Is at War in Yemen
  • Al Arabiya - The King Salman Doctrine
  • The Cairo Review - Yemen's war is debatable, but probably historic
• War in Yemen: Pakistan
  Pakistan weighs up joining Saudi coalition against Houthi rebels in Yemen

  The country has been agonising for days over a dilemma that balances the need to keep a key ally happy against the risks of getting embroiled in a fight that could exacerbate sectarian strains in Pakistan and distract from the country’s fight against its own militant groups.

• Iran Negotiations
  Poll: Clear majority supports nuclear deal with Iran

  By a nearly 2 to 1 margin, Americans support the notion of striking a deal with Iran that restricts the nation’s nuclear program in exchange for loosening sanctions, a new Washington Post-ABC News poll finds.

• War in Yemen: Iran
  Analysis: Iranian Reactions to Operation Decisive Storm

  Despite being a local force indigenous to Yemen and of the Fiver-Zaydi branch of Shiite Islam (Iran is of the Twelver variety), the Houthis have reaped significant dividends from their new and evolving relationship with the Islamic Republic of Iran. In fact, a December 2014 Reuters report confirmed “Iranian military and financial support to the Houthis before and after their takeover of Sanaa on Sept. 21” based on divergent sourcing. It is exactly this kind of involvement that Operation Decisive Storm aims to break.

  • Gulf Business - Iran Says Could Cooperate With Saudi To Solve Yemen Crisis
• War in Yemen
  Pakistanis flee Yemen

  Family members embraced their loved ones in Pakistan’s capital city, where they arrived after evacuating Yemen, in light of the Saudi Arabian campaign to stop the Houthi militia there.

  • CCTV - China evacuates citizens from Yemen
• ISIS Recruiting
  Saudi Arabia fights pull of Islamic State

  "Those from a lower class, who don't have any awareness, those are the people Daesh looks for," he says, using an Arabic acronym for the group. "They are easy for Daesh to brainwash."

• Global Oil Markets
  Analysts: Saudi intervention in Yemen unlikely to move oil prices much

  Still, most analysts say there is a strong possibility that oil prices will head down again. The market remains oversupplied, although there is debate about the magnitude of the glut. Demand usually weakens in the second quarter of the year as winter winds down in the northern hemisphere and refineries shut down for maintenance.

  • Forbes - Decline of US Shale Plays Not Clear Cut as Oil Price Stays Low
  • Seeking Alpha - Yemen And Unintended Consequences - Oil's New Battleground
• War in Yemen: Coalition
  U.S. Supports, Would Cooperate With Proposed Arab Force: Carter

  The United States supports Arab plans to create a unified military force to counter growing security threats in the Middle East, and the Pentagon will cooperate with it where U.S. and Arab interests coincide, Defense Secretary Ash Carter said on Monday.

  • Stratfor - The Middle Eastern Balance of Power Matures
  • Associated Press - A look at the countries involved in the Saudi Arabia-led airstrikes targeting Yemen rebels
  • Washington Post - Opinion: An Arab military force could compound the region’s problems
  • Brookings Institution - Can this joint Arab military force succeed where others have failed?
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