Today the US Embassy in Yemen has closed after alleged 'ongoing threats' recieved from al-Qaida. After Umar Abdulmutallab's attempt to blow up a plane on the way to America over Christmas, it has been revealed that he was trained in Yemen. Suddenly Yemen is in the news, filled with stories about the terrorist threat and the UK's involvement in Yemeni counter-terror intelligence units.
Yemen's position right off Somalia on the horn of Africa is very important tactically, some Somalians who's traditional fishing livelihoods have been destroyed by the dumping of tons of waste and vast over fishing by foreign companies have turned to piracy. The hijacking of large ships and their crews has cost millions for big companies forced to pay ransoms and in lost revenue.
Could the escalation of terror-related news in Yemen be a pretext to an attempt by the UK/US governments to exert a much greater influence over one of the poorest nations in the world and have a base to combat pirates and Islamists in Somalia? Would you be surprised? And what about invasion? Would you be surprised?
Yemen's position right off Somalia on the horn of Africa is very important tactically, some Somalians who's traditional fishing livelihoods have been destroyed by the dumping of tons of waste and vast over fishing by foreign companies have turned to piracy. The hijacking of large ships and their crews has cost millions for big companies forced to pay ransoms and in lost revenue.
Could the escalation of terror-related news in Yemen be a pretext to an attempt by the UK/US governments to exert a much greater influence over one of the poorest nations in the world and have a base to combat pirates and Islamists in Somalia? Would you be surprised? And what about invasion? Would you be surprised?
Comments
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Of course
03.01.2010 12:45
2. The terrorist said there are many more like him
So, no i won't be surprised if the US don't come down on Yemen. I will be surprised and questioning it if they don't.
Juice
Need to focus on more
03.01.2010 14:41
The government of Yemen is rather supportive of more aid and support from the US, it's been trying for a number of years to get it.
Who knows... maybe the Yemeni military intelligence and US gov set up the failed bombing as an excuse to justify the transfer of weapons and funds. I wouldn't be surprised if the rather amateur bomber had been nothing more than a pawn in a power game.
Wider picture
How is this news really?
03.01.2010 19:02
It also allows the US to force other countries to pay for the security. The tension in Yemen promotes the installation of scanners and security procedures in UK/Dutch/German/wherever airports. This removes the cost of installation in US airports. It might not be a very radical protest - but people should maybe start asking for the US to start pulling its weight: installing proper security in and around their airports. Reducing the availability of arms to potential terrorists and stop forcing us to pay for their domestic security deisres.
Ill informed baggaged handler