"Yemen is a success story".
Posted on 03/25/2015 2:01:35 PM PDT by SeekAndFind
In a statement ABC’s Jon Karl found “astounding,” White House press secretary Josh Earnest continued to call the United States’s activities in Yemen as a “model” for counter-terrorism — even as the Arabic nation’s government collapses and international terrorist groups move in.
As al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula gained power in Yemen’s north over the past few years, the Obama administration responded with a relatively hands-off approach. The U.S. government helped build up, support and train government forces fighting the terrorists while providing air reconnaissance and, occasionally, drone strikes against high-value targets in the country.
It was a plan that the Obama administration frequently held up as a successful example of U.S. counter-terrorism strategy. But as Shi’ite Houthi rebels continue to drive the Yemeni government from power, and fighters from the al-Qaida and the Islamic State conduct terrorist attacks and consolidate their forces, many have called the American strategy to help stabilize the nation fundamentally flawed.
“Now that we have, essentially, complete chaos in Yemen, does the White House still believe that Yemen is the model for counter-terrorism strategy?” Karl asked Earnest on Wednesday.
“The White House does continue to believe that a successful counter-terrorism strategy is one that will build up the capacity of the central government to have local fighters on the ground to take the fight to extremists in their own country,” Earnest said, emphasizing the importance of supporting local security forces. “That is a template that has succeeded in mitigating the threat that we face from extremists in place like Yemen and Somalia,” he added.
“That’s astounding to hear,” Karl said. “You still see Yemen as a model? Building up a central government — a central government that has now collapsed? A president who has apparently fled the country? Saudi troops amassing on one border? The Iranians supporting the rebels? You consider this a model?”
Earnest conceded that the strategy may no longer work that well in Yemen, specifically, but claimed that “we do continue to enjoy the benefits of a sustained counter-terrorism/security infrastructure that remains in Yemen.”
CLICK ABOVE LINK FOR THE VIDEO...
Every press secretary is worse than the last one.
Take it at face value - Yemen IS Obama’s model result against Islamic terrorism.
It’s all unicorns and rainbows in Obamaland
Obozo surrounds himself with people who are less bright than he is. Not good when you have the IQ of dust.
Obammy is a mookabooken mooselimb so in his way of. Thinking he is doing good.
Course he is an unAmerican piece of crap.
"Yemen is a success story".
It would be funny if it wasn’t so sad..our enemies see a weak and feckless administration filled with children and pie-in-the-sky theorists..God help us and pray we get adults in the next administration..
I hear that Francesco Schettino is up for the job next!
Baghdad Bob is this administration’s script writer.
He wouldn’t stay for long... he’d jump into the nearest lifeboat or (a la Jay Carney) nearest “consulting” job.
RE: Baghdad Bob is this administration’s script writer.
They’ll have to ask a medium to summon him from the grave first :)
But, a burning country spiraling to oblivion is the WH model of a counter terrorism success.
FUBO!!!
This is like a pathology. This Administration can never admit it is wrong or made a mistake.
The Current Occupant has had several press spox - each of them well below the bar. Josh Earnest was not the worst of them, but that is still not saying much.
Dee Dee Myers, of the Clinton Administration, was probably a little better, but then, most of her job was already prepared with the coaching of George Stephanopoulos, a slippery little troll on the best of days.
Awesome! Still, I would have used Stukas.
If the model is to get our intelligence information to ISIS and Iran then it is almost perfect.
Say,isn’t Obamma’s sect the same as the Iranian’s?
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.