Posted on 01/04/2010 12:36:22 AM PST by ErnstStavroBlofeld
The Yemeni government ordered an "unprecedented" number of troops into a region controlled by a branch of Al Qaeda, as the U.S. and Britain, concerned about the threat of terrorism, both closed their embassies in the capital of Sana.
The Obama administration increased the pressure on Islamic militants in Yemen Sunday after the Yemeni branch of Al Qaeda claimed responsibility for plotting the failed attempt to blow up Northwest Airlines Flight 253 on Christmas Day. The White House's top counterterrorism official didn't rule out U.S. military action.
Yemen deployed troops into provinces east of the capital to combat a growing Al Qaeda presence in the area, an aide to Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh told The Wall Street Journal Sunday. The move, targeting the group identified as Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, or AQAP, follows pledges of increased U.S. and British aid to finance Yemen's effort to fight Islamic militants.
"The size of the convoy moving out of Sana was unprecedented," Eryani said. "The government wants to show the outside world that with proper help and support it can do the job needed to make Yemen safer than it is today."
Eryani said the troops are likely bound for the sweeping crescent of desert starting in provinces just east of Sana and stretching northeast along the Saudi border where U.S. and Yemeni officials say Al Qaeda's strength is growing.
(Excerpt) Read more at foxnews.com ...
But didn’t Janet tell us there was no evidence of a larger plot or link to al Qaeda?
Round up the usual suspects.
The use of “unprecedented” tells us this is a “POTUS project.” I’m sure he has ready access to the Islamic militants, but what would he be pressing them to do? And if he orders military action, against whom? He hates us.
Not only that, Napolitano has written a letter expressing extreme disappointment to the Al Queda leadership.
The Yemeni government ordered an "unprecedented" number of troops into a region controlled by a branch of Al Qaeda, as the U.S. and Britain, concerned about the threat of terrorism, both closed their embassies in the capital of Sana.
Ummmm..., Yemen is an Islamic war lord's haven (and heaven, perhaps). It's the next Afghanistan and look for more to come...
Here's a current comment from Jane Novak at her Armies of Liberation blog. She's the goto source for info on Yemen and has been for years.
"President Saleh is an extremely irrational player, and has never learned from his mistakes. Maybe thirty years in power makes you go nuts. Look at Khadaffi… Saleh makes the same plays over and over, with the same results. In addition, the fractured nature of the regime means the government is often at odds with itself. Its important to keep in mind the Yemeni government tactics in dealing with internal civil unrest. In the south, as HRW recently found, the Yemeni government is shooting peaceful protesters in the head and engaging in mass arrests, and has been for well over a year. Dozens have been killed. In the north, the Yemeni military is bombing civilian areas on a regular basis and blocking the delivery of international aid, creating a humanitarian crisis in Sa’ada, long called “Yemen’s Darfur.” Do we want to equpt this slaughter? Any arms or equipment to Saleh will go straight to Sa’ada or Aden, with some show raids on al Qaeda, big announcements and underlings rounded up as the main facilitators and figure heads escape unmolested as they have done for years."
Just make Jane Novak an important source for you for news on Yemen. She has connections everywhere there. How this all came about is an interesting story in itself.
If the World had an armpit, Yemen...
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Ditto that. I used to live in Yemen in the Hadhramaut area.
We used to tell people it isn’t Hell, but close enough to see it from here.
It does have some interesting history, ancient history that is.
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