Al-Qaedah strengthened, U.S. backs President of Yemen

According to some diplomats and U.S. intelligence analysts, counterterrorism operations in Yemen stalled and resulted in Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) can operate more freely in that country and to plan possible attacks on the United States and Europe.
Son and three nephews Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh in control of four major anti-terrorism agency in Yemen, including the Republican Guard and the Central Security Forces are trained and armed the U.S..
If they were forced to resign as part of the deal to get rid of Saleh, U.S. Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates acknowledged that the country's counterterrorism efforts will be in the hands of lieutenants who have not been tested. 
"We did a lot of cooperation (in areas) counterterrorism with President Saleh and Yemen's security services. So, if the government were toppled or replaced with a weaker, then I think we will face more challenges outside of Yemen," Gates said, as quoted New York Times.
"There is no question anymore. It is a real problem," added Gates.
Gregory Johnsen, a Princeton graduate who continue to track the militants in Yemen, said that the narrow focus of the U.S. in fighting Al-Qaeda through military operations under the supervision of Saleh and his family meant that the U.S. could be in a difficult position if no longer led by Saleh of Yemen.
"The idea of ​​the United States to link the struggle against terrorism with one family was not the best way to deal with al-Qaeda," said Johnsen.
The protesters demanded that Saleh, who has ruled for three decades, stepped down because of lack of democratic reforms, widespread corruption, and human rights violations committed by family members and friends nearby.
Previously, in February and Saleh has announced that he would not re-run in 2013, but he still wants completing his term.
Saleh also warned that efforts to topple him will only give birth to civil war.
The Obama administration accused of hypocrisy for supporting the protesters in Libya, Egypt, and Tunisia, but the support of its allies in other countries which dispels the protests brutally.
As reported by Al Jazeera, on Saturday, an opposition coalition group asks Saleh handed over power to his deputy, Abd Rabbo Mansour Hadi.
Saleh as the U.S. considers a key ally in the issue of terrorism. Saleh supported the U.S. invasion of AQAP group based in Yemen. U.S. attacks are not popular in Yemen. In a wire State Department in 2010, released WikiLeaks, mentioned that Saleh claimed responsibility for the attack the U.S., it seems to be done to avoid the impression of her work with the West.
"We will continue to say that the bombs were ours, not yours," said Saleh told General David Petraeus about the aerial bombing of Al Qaeda locations as quoted by WikiLeaks.
In an interview with ABC late March, Gates called the possible collapse Saleh as a real problem for U.S. operations in Yemen.

Posted by Anggo82 on Wednesday, April 06, 2011. Filed under International, News . You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. Feel free to leave a response