Yemen's efforts in fighting al-Qaeda
The Source: SANA'A/hadhramaut.info/sabanews.net - 10/05/2011
Home \
Local News
War on terrorism has entered decisive stage as the killing of al-Qaeda's Leader Osama bin Ladden has been a painful blow to the network that has been a threat to many world countries.
It is expected that bin Laden's supporters might carried out reprisals to confirm that they are still exist even after bin Ladden's killing by US intelligence strike near Pakistani capital Islamabad. This suggests that international efforts in fighting terrorism must continue.
Since the beginning of fierce war against al-Qaeda in 2001 , there have been doubts concerning fighting terrorism.
Despite deviation on the main aim of fighting terrorism, times have approved this fighting is necessary.
Yemen is considered one of the most countries suffered from al-Qaeda expansion and its operations that have shaken security and stability. This has made Yemeni government join the international efforts in fighting al-Qaeda early, especially when Yemen's image was defamed as a source of terrorism could be targeted by Americans.
To repair the image of Yemen, President Saleh travelled to America in November 2001. This visit created great change in American position towards Yemen in fighting terrorism. This helped also in repairing Yemen's image which has been affected deeply after USS Cole incidents in 2000 and the French tanker Limburg in 2002.
Many observers believe that Saleh has been able to attract attention of the United States and French to support Yemen logistically to help him play active role in fighting terrorism, especially his call to establish a coast guards police to provide security services on the international maritime line, where foreign ships have been exposed to al-Qaeda's attack.
In fact, the call has been fruitful, the Chief Commander of US Central Command Tommy Franks announced 11 days after Limburg incidents that the United States would help Yemen in establishing a coast guards authority to deter "terrorist violations" in the first place.
Despite US assistances in training and qualifying specialized anti-terror forces and gaining support for this purpose, the Yemeni government adopted clear policy by refusing US interference in fighting Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula from one hand and seeking US cooperation from another. Although Yemen refuses direct US interference in fighting AQAP, it seeks logistic support in its war against terrorism. In field of draying al-Qaeda sources and reducing al-Qaeda's effects on youth, the government has worked on implementing religious programs and conducted dialogue with al-Qaeda affiliates to help them abandon extremist thoughts. The Yemeni government has abandoned religious schools and 80 Arab and foreign students have been deported in 2002. They were residing also illegally. These process came within the country's crackdown on al-Qaeda's suspects. Since summer 20002, the government has began circling al-Qeada elements in Yemen through sending anti-al-Qaeda security forces.The rejecters of dialogue and the right path The most important achievements of the security forces has been thwarting al-Qaeda's operation that targeted the US embassy in 2008. David Petraeus, the Chief Commander of US Central Command highlighted Yemen's efforts in thwarting the attack. According to Petraeus, Yemen was one of three countries improved in fighting terrorism. The Yemeni government seeks to besiege al-Qaeda system which most of its attacks target oil institutions. In this regard, an al-Qeada's attack has been foiled in Hadramout in 2006. The attack targeted oil institution as part of strategy to hit Yemen's economy. After announcing Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula in 2009, US experts and security officials visited Yemen. Head of CIA and commander of US central forces met Yemeni officials in the same year, in addition to Yemeni-US talks followed by important visit of US senator John McCain to Yemen. Despite the difficult conditions Yemen has lived since weeks, cracking down on al-Qaeda is still going on. Every week there is a reminder of al-Qaeda's incident. Although the killing of bin Ladden does not mean al-Qaeda has been defeated, the desire of his supporters in carrying out operations in and outside Yemen will increase surely. But fighting al-Qaeda will remain a heavy burden on the government. Despite its difficult conditions, the government has to continue war against al-Qaeda as it considers this a vital issue.
|