America is attacked yet again, on defacto US soil, and it doesn’t even make the front page of my Canadian daily. I guess I should be happy it made the paper at all.
From The Toronto Star::
A sophisticated bombing plot carried out yesterday against the U.S. embassy in Yemen brings increased urgency to fears that Muslim extremists are gathering strength in that nation and could make it a headquarters for terrorism.
The attack at the perimeter of the American compound in Sanaa, which killed 16 people, including six assailants, follows a March mortar attack on the embassy and two attacks against Yemen’s presidential compound in late April.
The fact that the author chose to characterize the situation as one of terrorists “gathering strength” in Yemen is peculiar considering it’s been a terrorist haven for decades. The same author goes on to say:
But Yemen is the ancestral home of Osama bin Laden and U.S. officials said it followed Al Qaeda’s playbook.
Yemenis make up the largest population of detainees – at least 108 of 270 – held at Guantanamo Bay.
The Bush administration has sought to return dozens of these prisoners to Yemen but has been unable to get assurances from the Yemeni government that they will be held or rehabilitated.
“There’s an ongoing issue with Al Qaeda and … violent extremists and terrorism in Yemen,” U.S. State Department spokesperson Sean McCormack said yesterday.
Terrorists in Yemen aren’t gathering strength, they are already strong, and becoming stronger. The brazen USS Cole attack took place in Yemen by Yemenis and as evidenced by Guantanemo’s population, a very high percentage of terrorist leaders come from there. These things do not occur by accident, as we have seen in Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, Iraq & Gaza it takes a lifetime of indoctrination and immersion to create a dedicated Jihadist. It requires the cooperation or complacency of school administrators, the blessing of government & security agencies, not to mention a media & culture that continuously vilifies “infidels” while glorifying “Shehade”.
Although the government has arrested some Al-Qaeda aligned terrorists and Yemeni troops have died in battles attempting to battle these groups, there is doubt as to the leadership’s commitment and effectiveness in the War on Terror. Most agree that the government of Yemen is weak and not in total control of the nation. Like Pakistan’s northern border, Yemen also has tribal areas outside the control of the authorities. Terrorism flourishes within these frontiers.
Government complacency also contributes to terror beyond Yemen’s borders. The suicide bombings & rocket attacks against civilian centers in Israel; not to mention attacks on Christians and innocents in Gaza are directly supported by fundraising efforts that Yemen allows. Hamas & Islamic Jihad are recognized legal organizations with offices in the nation.
Analyst’s have argued over whether Yemen’s leadership is unwilling or it’s security apparatus unable to reign in the terrorist element. I have to wonder if that really matters in a pragmatic worldview. At the end of the day the leadership of a nation is responsible for dealing with rogue elements within its jurisdiction. If it is not doing this, for any reason, then proactive measures must be taken.
An American Embassy is sovereign US territory. This attack should be regarded & retaliated to as if it were carried out on an office in Washington DC. Sadly, with an election & American mood being what it is I doubt we are going to see an appropriate response. This lackadaisical attitude towards worldwide Jihad beyond the borders of Afghanistan & Iraq is extremely troubling. Shortly after Sept 11th, much of the world finally accepted Jihad for the existential threat it posed to the Western way of life. Not even a decade has passed and it seems that much of the world, even some in the USA have reverted back to regarding it as a “nuisance”…
It’s high time the International War of Terror became truly International again. The USA must put its foot down on nations that do not cooperate, cutting off aid, trade & recalling diplomats. Islamist Terror is as much a threat to Arab governments as it is to the United States. The Arab Dictators have been spared a deal of violence because they allow these groups to operate within their borders. As the groups grow through fundraising & recruitment, it is only a matter of time before they are confident enough to challenge their appeasers for total control. Regardless of whether this happens sooner or later, such concessions endanger the War on Terror. As Americans root out terrorists in Afghanistan & Iraq, recruiters in Iraq, Iran, Lebanon, Syria & Yemen are busy indoctrinating thousands more into the bottomless pit of Jihad.
The government of Yemen must be held accountable for the actions perpetrated within their borders. As a general is responsible for the men beneath him, a government is responsible for the actions of its people against foreigners & foreign interests. Anything less than 100% effort to root out this menace should be regarded as an unwillingness to cooperate. This is the type of comprehensive, no-BS approach that is required to fight a war on such a scale. If the war of terror is not fought comprehensively then it will be a never ending war, with one terrorist haven always replacing the last one.
Trackposted to Blog @ MoreWhat.com, Rosemary’s Thoughts, third world county, Walls of the City, The World According to Carl, , The Pink Flamingo, Cao’s Blog, Leaning Straight Up, Wolf Pangloss, Democrat=Socialist, Conservative Cat, and Right Voices, thanks to Linkfest Haven Deluxe.
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