A young Yemeni, a member of the Shiite Houthi
minority, guards
a checkpoint. The sign, which is the logo of the Houthi insurgency,
reads, 'Allah is greatest of all; Death to
America;
Death to Israel; A
curse on the Jews; Victory for Islam.' Iran is
thought
to back anti-
government unrest among Houthis,
who are among the most prone
to
recruitment by al-Qaeda on the Arabian Penninisula.
Yemen Must Defeat al-Qaeda with Less Help from U.S. Drones (Al Wahdawi, Yemen)
"The
long-term solution will be up to the capacity of Yemenis to establish a
democratic state in which those who are now disaffected will work for change
without taking up arms against the state. In this way, legitimacy will be
denied all groups betting on the force of arms to achieve their political
objectives. Meanwhile, the door for the participation of all of those who wish
to engage in the peaceful competition for power will be opened."
For the first time, Yemen will face the threat of al-Qaeda
with a comprehensive counter-terrorism strategy based on plans drawn up by the
Supreme Security Committee for Combating Terrorism. The plan will begin a new
phase in countering the al-Qaeda threat. With a new legal framework and by
mobilizing a comprehensive national effort, we will counter the danger posed by
an organization that has exceeded the capacities of regional and global efforts
in Yemen.
There is broad agreement among senior decision makers that
foreign intervention has greatly contributed in giving the militant
organization an opportunity to win support and sympathy, especially after civilians
have been killed in U.S. drone raids. For years, such raids have aroused
indignation in tribal areas, where some leaders threaten to counter such raids
because of the threat to civilian lives.
Yemen may be slowly overcoming its political crisis, but the
threat of terrorism seems to be growing. This is evidenced by the outrageous
terrorist bombings and ferocious combat operations recently mounted by al-Qaeda
in the Arabian Peninsula and organizations associated with it. This represents
a serious problem for Yemen's leadership.
The likelihood is that the Yemen government is about to
enter a violent long-term conflict with al-Qaeda, as there is no common ground
on which the parties could meet in the middle.
At the same time, the government's reliance on the help of
foreign military intervention will give the organization legitimacy that will
better enable it to continue what it sees as a holy war against an external
enemy.
Posted By Worldmeets.US
But despite that, reliance on security and military solutions,
as important as they are, will not be enough to confront a problem as
complicated and with as many tentacles as this, since the material and human
strength of such organizations is only one aspect of the problem. The most
important is the prevailing atmosphere, which serves as a kind of incubator for
the organization to grow. This is particularly true, given the government's
weak security and service presence in many regions. Popular anger with the
performance of the government bureaucracy, the proliferation of weapons, the
deteriorating environment, and widespread youth poverty and unemployment make
it easier for al-Qaeda to recruit and buy the loyalty of tribal leaders.
In conclusion, fighting between the Yemeni government and
al-Qaeda and its allies will continue, albeit intermittently. But the long-term
solution will be up to the capacity of Yemenis to establish a democratic state
in which those who are now disaffected will work for change without taking up
arms against the state. In this way, legitimacy will be denied all groups
betting on the force of arms to achieve their political objectives. Meanwhile,
the door for the participation of all of those who wish to engage in the
peaceful competition for power will be opened.
