....As Yemeni President and American ally Ali Abdullah Saleh fights for his political life, Al Qaeda operatives are taking advantage of the void and have already stepped in to fill the power vacuum...Al Qaeda leaders like top propagandist and spiritual leader Anwar Al-Awlaki are ecstaticabout the recent developments in Yemen and across the Middle East. The New York Times reported: "Counterterrorism operations in Yemen have ground to a halt, allowing Al Qaeda’s deadliest branch outside of Pakistan to operate more freely inside the country and to increase plotting for possible attacks against Europe and the United States, American diplomats, intelligence...