Since 2004 the Houthi movement, led by Shiite sect leader Hussein Badreddin al-Houthi, has been fighting to take over Yemen, a country that had only been reunited since 1990, near the end of the Cold War. They’ve now succeeded in taking the Presidential palace in the capital.

It’s a pattern we’ve seen throughout the Arab world, where the post-Cold War political situations have been swept out, and violent Islamist movements have moved in their places. Once again the Arab Spring has given us more Islamic tyranny, and this time it’s giving the Iranians a strategic lever in the Red Sea.

Yemen, at the southern tip of the Arabian Peninsula, is one of three countries that border the straits that lead from the Gulf of Aden north into the Red Sea, along with Djibouti and Eritrea. With the Houthi rebels taking the Presidential palace in Sanaa, it seems like only a matter of time before the Houthis in the north, and the Al Qaedans in the south take the whole country, including along the straits.

If they take control of the coast the Houthis, being Shiites backed by Iran and Hezbollah, would give Iran leverage into the Red Sea. This is notable as Iran has already announced plans to be in the Gulf of Aden.

Many Americans cheered the ‘Arab Spring’ when it resulted efforts to throw out old line Arab National Socialists in Libya, Egypt, and Syria. However the results in each country have proven bad for freedom worldwide. Libya brought the Benghazi massacre, Egypt gave power to the Muslim Brotherhood and the Islamic rape culture there, and the Syrian rebellion empowered the horrible crimes against humanity now being committed by the Islamic State. The expansion of the ‘Arab Spring’ to Yemen can only be bad news.

I’m now reminded of two things. First, when Barack Obama wanted to arm Syrian rebels. Second, when Ted Cruz was called all sorts of names, when he criticized alliances with Shiite militants. Who was right, and who was wrong? Whose views would lead to the expansion of Iranian influence, at the expense of peace, liberty, and prosperity world wide? Whose views would challenge Iran and defend freedom? Once again, Barack Obama was wrong, and Ted Cruz was right.