"There isn't a serious fight against Al-Qaeda in Yemen," one analyst observes, but there is more to the story than economics. There has been a pattern of inaction and bumbling on the part of the Yemeni government concerning jihadists within the country, so much so that one official remarked: "Yemen is like a bus station -- we stop some terrorists, and we send others on to fight elsewhere ... We appease our partners in the West, but we are not really helping."
"Al-Qaeda launchpad in Yemen gives Saudis new headache," by Ali Khalil for Agence France-Presse, September 2 (thanks to Sr Soph):
DUBAI -- Al-Qaeda's regrouping in Yemen is proving a headache for authorities in neighbouring Saudi Arabia, who have dealt severe blows to the jihadists but have failed to eliminate the root causes of extremism in the kingdom, analysts say.
No, they're not exactly part of the solution against "extremism."
The suicide attack on anti-terror chief Prince Mohammed bin Nayef last week backs reports that Saudi militants have taken neighbouring -- and mostly lawless -- Yemen as a base to launch attacks in their home country.
The bomber had crossed from Yemen for the meeting with Prince Mohammed, whom he deceived by claiming that he wished to repent. He was on a Saudi list of 85 most-wanted militants.
"War is deceit." - Muhammad
"Yemen is the open venue for Al-Qaeda now after it came under pressure in Saudi Arabia. Their presence there has allowed them to regroup," said Saudi columnist Ali Khsheiban who specialises in Islamist issues.
"The presence of Al-Qaeda in Yemen will cause a lot of trouble... Having its cells in a country neighbouring Saudi Arabia will facilitate its activities," in the kingdom, he added.
Saudi and Yemeni branches of Al-Qaeda announced in January their merger into "Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula".
A leading member of Al-Qaeda's Saudi branch, Mohammed al-Awfi, who took part in forming the new alliance but later reportedly turned himself in, confirmed in televised confessions in March that Al-Qaeda is now using Yemen as a base to attack Saudi after security forces cracked down on its cells in the kingdom.
"One of the mistakes of Abdul Aziz al-Muqrin (Al-Qaeda leader who was killed by Saudi forces in 2004) was that he concentrated our force in Riyadh. The new strategy is to have Yemen-based brigades, which would hit (Saudi targets) and run back to Yemen," he said.
In the latest blow to Al-Qaeda, Saudi security forces last month arrested 44 members, many of whom were described as highly educated, and uncovered large arms caches.
"The new tactic for Al-Qaeda is to be based in Yemen and execute attacks in Saudi Arabia," said Saudi writer Faress bin Hezam.
"It is clear that the Yemeni government has limited capabilities to combat Al-Qaeda. They are also not able to benefit from the Saudi experience in this field... There isn't a serious fight against Al-Qaeda in Yemen," added Hezam who specialises in monitoring Islamist groups....
"The bomber had crossed from Yemen for the meeting with Prince Mohammed, whom he deceived by claiming that he wished to repent. He was on a Saudi list of 85 most-wanted militants."
Muslims, above all others , should know that when a Muslim speaks of peace or reconciliation is usually lying...
"Yemen is like a bus station — we stop some terrorists, and we send others on to fight elsewhere ... We appease our partners in the West, but we are not really helping."
...........
You can say much the same thing about Pakistan--and any number of other Muslim countries which are supposed to be "fighting terrorism".
Why should this be? Certainly, no one at Agence France-Presse asks this question. To be fair, few journalists are likely to ask that question at Reuters, or the Associated Press, or the BBC, or any number of other respected news agencies, either.
The truth of the matter is, that many of these regimes are in basic agreement with the "extremists'" goals, and so are many of their people.
It is only when these "extremists" come to directly threaten their own regime that these governments will push back--often trying as much to deflect Jihad violence against themselves toward Infidels--or at least, other Muslim countries--as they are to genuinely try to oppose these groups.
Sound a bit like the skirmishes by Muhammad that led up to the battle of Badr.
I highly doubt that it will even come close to that however.