As Yemen’s Government Falls, So May a US Strategy for Fighting Terror

Any US effort to form ties in the Middle East is fraught with risk. The latest example is Yemen, whose president is a US ally in its efforts to subdue Islamic extremism. “Shiite Houthi rebels attacked the home of Yemen’s president as they rushed into the presidential palace in Sana’a, the Yemeni capital,” reported Mark Thompson for Time magazine. “Government officials said a coup against President Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi was underway.” Yemen is estimated to be 65 percent Sunni and 35 percent Shia. The US relied on Yemen in carrying out drone attacks and surveillance in the region. A former Pentagon official described the country of 26 million “in chaos, dominated by groups with diverse ideologies but who share a common theme – they hate the U.S….” and he suggested adding the country to a growing list in need of “nation-building.” North and South Yemen formally united in 1990, but long-simmering tensions linger. Hadi won elections in 2012 after the previous president was pressured to relinquish some powers after the Arab Spring protests. Hadi announced a plan for power-sharing with the Houthis and resigned shortly afterward. – YaleGlobal