Fighting Terrorism in Yemen Requires Patience and Partners

Countries with high rates of poverty and lax central governments provide ideal settings for those intent on committing acts of terrorism. The most recent try was printer cartridges, loaded with explosions, in overseas packages addressed to Chicago synagogues, mailed from Sana’a, Yemen's capital. Yemen has severe water shortages, low rates of literacy, high rates of child hunger, with nearly half the people living on $2 or less per day, according to the Economist. A terrorist ring calling itself Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula takes advantage of resentments over poverty, the US invasion of Iraq and an independence movement in the south. “AQAP portrays itself as the defender of the Yemeni population against a despised government and American aggression,” notes the Economist. “Most counter-terrorism experts think America should mainly work with nearby rulers in Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates. All have large Yemeni populations, a stake in regional stability and the cash to ease Yemen’s many woes.” – YaleGlobal