Homeland Security Threats to Yemen - Essay Example

Homeland Security Threats to Yemen affiliation Homeland Security Threats Introduction Yemen is a country located at the southern edge of the Arabian Peninsula. It borders Oman and Saudi Arabia to the west and south respectively. With a coastline extending for more than 150 miles from the coast of Somalia, the proximity of the country to the Bab el Manheb strait makes it an important nation in the world of trade. The impact of the social, political and economic activities and stability of Yemen are thus of great concern for most of the rest of the world. For instance, the 2000 bombing outside Aden Port in Cole proved that the security status in Yemen is of great important to the rest of the world and most notably to the West. The country has been a troubled territory with the increase in terrorism activities in the Middle East region. The increasing tension between the west and the Islamic states makes the country appear, to the other Islamic states as supporting the West due to its involvement in trade. The country, therefore, faces major homeland security threats that threaten not only loss of economic relations but also massive loss of lives and property (Boon, Huq & Lovelace, 2012). History of insecurity in Yemen The Republic of Yemen was realized in 1994 after a series of civil wars that characterized a large part of the twentieth century especially after the British stopped controlling the region in 1967. Ali Abdullah became the first president of the republic following great wars between the Southern and Northern leaders some of whom were opposed to the forming of the republic. The formation of the republic of Yemen appeared to be an important step in ensuring security of the young nation. However, the security status of Yemen remains threatened to date (Boon, Huq & Lovelace, 2012). Major threats to homeland security in Yemen today concern its closeness to the war-torn region and countries such as Somalia. It has also been established that the country’s closeness to Somalia has resulted in many Somalis escaping war in their country migrating into Yemen. Threats to homeland Security Homeland security in Yemen is threatened due to several factors. First, the country is one of the poorest in the Arab region. This makes it incapable to handle strict border surveillance economically. Secondly, the country can be regarded as a nation that is between a conflict zone that has not known peace and stability for many years. Thirdly, the involvement of the country in trade with the Western nations makes it be labelled a traitor in the polarized region. Fourthly, the political instability in the country and the region has created polarized section in the Yemen community reducing the control of the central government. Lastly, poverty has resulted in social unrest and relative loss of trust in the central administration. This has created the emergence or militia and social groups that threaten the security of the people. Security is one of the most important functions of government. Any government is responsible for the security of its subjects. However, security and defense are some of the most costly activities. To ensure the security of all the borders especially the coastal borders, Yemen would require more than $100 million per year. This kind of money cannot be spared from the countries slim economy. This makes the country incapable of controlling the entry of people and commodities across the borders. Among the illegal immigrants is foreign militia escaping wars from their countries and bring with them weapons into Yemen. This entry, especially along the coastal borders threaten homeland security in that it facilitates smuggling of weapons into the country and fuels the already polarized political and social status in Yemen. Being in a zone full of conflict, Yemen has its homeland security under strong threats from outside. Many al-Qaeda members escaping from countries such as Pakistan and Afghanistan are entering the country through the porous border. This makes the country a potential war zone due to the lost control. It is a possibility that being one of the failed states, and terrorists may take advantage of it and use the country as a base of operations. Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula has been indicated to be operating out of Yemen and taking advantage of the country’s myriad of challenges ranging from security to socio-economic factors (criticalthreats.org). The insurgence of these forces also depletes the country’s resources of water and oil making the country poorer and even more incapable of handling their security (Salmoni, Loidolt, Wells & Rand Corporation, 2010). Political unrest also forms a major threat to the security of this country. As the security forces try to control the borders, internal conflicts fuelled by the rebels against the current leader, who is a Southerner is causing political insurgency in the North. Houthi insurgency and the southern movement are calling for a recession. This threatens eruption of war in the country, less than 25 years since the end of the civil war that resulted to the building of the republic. This unrest, combined with the social-economic unrest that has been the result of depletion of the natural resources in the country gives a comfortable operation for al-Qaeda (Salmoni et al., 2010). The unrest is also as a result of the alleged failure of the Yemeni president Ali Abdullah Saleh to recognize the north and his attempts to control the security forces by using his family. The rebellion, therefore, are focused on overthrowing Saleh’s regime (criticalthreats.org). The economic status of Yemen and its importance in the world trade has warranted the government to be in close ties with the western world including United States of America, Britain and France as its major trade partners. However, this does not go well with the other Islamic states in the region. The other countries consider Yemen an ally to the Western countries who are against the power of the Islamic states. As a result of this labelling, Yemen is always threatened by the terror groups in Middle East. The threats have been heightened by the military support that Yemen receives from the United States in the form of navy personnel, trainers and weapons. This has been used by the local militia to seek support from the Islamic terror groups to destabilize the central government. In 2009, the former leader of the defeated southern region sought support from Hezbollah for the Houthis in an effort to make them strong and able to destabilize the central government. Although Hezbollah rejected the call for support, it was clear from the cat that all is not settled between the southern and northern leaders and with the increased entry of the al-Qaeda into the country threatens the stability that the country has witnessed. In the same year, the central government gathered its forces and launched an attack against the Houthis in the north of Yemen. This did not stop the rebellion. Instead, the conflict was ready to extend beyond the borders and involve more parties until Saudi Arabia intervened and attacked the rebels following the killing of some soldiers along the border. It was out of this threat from Saudi that the rebels retreated (criticalthreats.org). The conflict and the war would have continued to destabilize the country. With the instability, the citizens are made to assume that the central government has failed to assist them in reaping the fruits of their liberation 25 years after. When the public loses trust in the government, there is increased probability that they will join with the rebelling forces and attack the government. There have also been claims from the Houthis that the government has been using excess force and targeted the civilians to frighten them and cause unrest in the country to blame the rebels. This followed the shooting of civilians by an armed militia group said to be backed by the government at an event in the Houthi-controlled region. This stirred tension in the country with the Houthis promising to attack the government to defeat (Fares, 2007). The situation was worsened by fresh attacks from the government side resulting to further displacement of people and loss of trust in the central government. It was then that the international community discovered that Iran was in support of the Houthi rebels and had been supplying them with weapons, allegations that Iran denied. However, it is still thought that Iran provide logistic and financial support to the Houthi rebels who have also gained backing from Kuwait and United Arab Emirates (Fares, 2007). Countering the Threats The security status in Yemen has been rather weak since the making of the republic in the 1990s. Currently, the repeated terrorist attacks and threats on a number of places within the country indicate that there are problems with homeland security. Due to the instability, the country has become an attraction and a refuge to the al-Qaeda militia and insurgents from Pakistan, Somalia and Afghanistan. These insurgents arrive with weapons, which they are ready to use from the country without worrying about the security of the Yemeni. This has even resulted to the establishment of an al-Qaeda commanding base in Yemen, which has raised great concern among the western nations who are the main target for the al-Qaeda and other Islamic militias (Fares, 2007). The United Sates considers it a danger to its own security when the Yemen government, America’s counter-terrorism partner in the region is considered weak and vulnerable. The American strategy in Yemen has been using direct operations since the start of the Arab Spring. This has not been for the benefit of the Yemeni but as a strategy by the United States to manage its own homeland security by destroying the Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula and their haven (Katherine, 2012). This is evident from the America’s indication that they will not be involved in the Yemen’s counter-insurgency efforts significantly (Cordesman & Al-Rodhan, 2007). This leaves the country on its own in dealing with the Houthis, who obtains imminent support from the al-Qaeda and other Islamic terror groups that are against the alleged partnership between Yemen and the West especially United States. Although the defeat of the AQAP is not a long-term solution to the country, it will help reduce the threats to Yemen’s homeland security, leaving the government to focus better on the internal militias and the insurgency that is affecting the country. It is expected that after the efforts of the government are focused on the insurgents, there will be reduced entry of militias from other countries, increasing stability and central government’s control of the exploitation of the natural resources. This will in turn enhance the public support of the central government and reduce their involvement in the rebellion and support to the Houthis. It is also necessary that Yemen while still maintaining its important international relations with western trade partners get involved in regional cohesion (Cordesman & Al-Rodhan, 2007). This will make it seem less of a rebellious Islamic state an attempt that will reduce the threats that are currently planned by the powerful Islamic states. Getting involved in regional trade and economic stimulus programs as well as socio-political activities will ensure this. However, this is expected to weaken the ties with the United States, which could lead to further instability. Further, the country should use the current ties with the West to boost its economic status to enable it train competent military personnel and purchase equipment to protect its borders effectively. Evidently, Yemen’s stability and survival is important to the rest of the world. If Yemen is considered a failed state following failed efforts to handle its homeland security, international access of commodities through the busy shipping line governed by Yemen will be hampered. Yemen faces threats to its homeland security, which should be handled to ensure the much-wanted stability. The increased level of unemployment, social conflicts and homeland rebellion are some of the internal threats that the country should address (Ariel, 2014). The depleted natural resources should also be addressed to reduce internal rebellion that is fuelled by the insurgents and the AQAP militia who have gained entry into the country. The economic status of the country appears, however, to be a major root to the threats. Its inability to control entry of escapees from Afghanistan, Pakistan and Somalia is as a result of low economic and military ability. This has further resulted to its dependence on the Western partners for help and, as a result, becoming an enemy to the neighboring Islamic states (Terrill & Army War College, 2011). References Ariel, A. (2014). Jewish-Muslim relations and migration from Yemen to Palestine in the late nineteenth and twentieth centuries. Boon, K., Huq, A. Z., & Lovelace, D. C. (2012). Global stability and U.S. national security. New York, N.Y: Oxford University Press. Critical Threats. Yemen. http://www.criticalthreats.org/yemen Cordesman, A. H., & Al-Rodhan, K. R. (2007). Gulf military forces in an era of asymmetric wars: Vol. 1. Westport, Conn. [u.a.: Praeger Security International. Fares, A. (2007, December). Terrorism threats are top security challenge for yemen, interior minister. Retrieved from http://www.yobserver.com/front-page/10013386.html Katherine Zimmerman. (2012). Al Qaeda in Yemen: Countering the Threat from the Arabian Peninsula. Critical Threats, October 19, 2012. www.criticalthreats.org/yemen/zimmerman-qaeda-yemen-countering-threat-arabian-peninsula-october-19-2012 Salmoni, B. A., Loidolt, B., Wells, M., & Rand Corporation. (2010). Regime and periphery in Northern Yemen: The Huthi phenomenon. Santa Monica, CA: RAND. Terrill, W. A., & Army War College (U.S.). (2011). The conflicts in Yemen and U.S. national security. Read More