Yemen's president condemns US embassy attack

Yemen's president condemned the US Embassy attack and vowed to "pursue the criminals who carry out such acts." (1) President Ali Abdullah Saleh stated these actions "were from 'faulty upbringing' (2.) Fortunately for the embassy the walls held and only one American died in the attack.

This is just one part of the focus in Yemen. The nation has been divided violently off and on for the last several decades. This combined with the nourthern rebels of Al-Houthi, small pockets of extremist Salfi's, Sufi's and the notorious Islamic Brotherhood make this attack look small in regards to the potential of problems Yemen presents. This doesn't put into calculation the number of Islamic Jihadis who were fighting in Iraq against Americans coming back to Yemen or Afghanistan. This assumption is made off of the fact large portions of Iraq is being handed over to Iraqis and is no longer in the hands of 'Christian Crusaders'.

The current president has allowed more religious power in a variety of sects that were willing to fight against Al-Houthi a rebel cleric of Northern Yemen. This could be one problem on why these extremists are growing in power. The government has sponsored anti-terrorism programs the most recent is the "Losing Bet" a movie focused on the negative effects of Islamic Extremism. Because of Yemen's lack of funds and impoverished society, some reports show unemployment as high as forty percent. (3) Obviously the goal of the movie is to reduce the amount of people willing to join extremist groups.

This is more than likely just the start of more focus on Yemen. The major concerns from the US point of view is the lack of security in regards to Al-Qaeda. Al-Qaeda leaders and operatives escaped from a Yemen high security prison and other leaders have openly been in the Yemen Capitol at formal functions. The problem however is with the younger group of mujahedeen. The majority of the youth do not honor the non-aggression pact designed between the older Al Qaeda and Yemen government, the majority of the youth fights against the government and westerners.

If you ask me, and most people don't, this looks like the start of more US media focus on Yemen, however with or without the US focus violence will continue in Yemen.

Cite:

1. DONNA ABU-NASR, Associated Press http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080919/ap_on_re_mi_ea/ml_yemen_us_embassy;_ylt=AmZIbXrlSTuyRnv0OlZWKy4LewgF

2. Ibid Abu-Nasr

3. Kent Davis-Packard, Christian Science Monitor, http://www.csmonitor.com/2008/0829/p04s01-wome.html