Terrorism Activity in Yemen - Essay Example

Terrorism Activity in Yemen Essay Date 2000 Words Name Institution Terrorism is not a new phenomenon in Yemen. However, the importance of this nation in antiterrorism has been ignored for a long time because of a number of reasons. Firstly, unlike many other neighbouring countries, Yemen does not have oil resources neither does it have national strength. This explains why most western nations have little economic interest in Yemen. This little presence of foreign interests in this country has encouraged the encroachment of terrorist groups such as Al-Qaeda in Yemen1. The Islamic Army of Aden-Abyan is believed to be the main affiliate of Al- Qaeda in Yemen. Another reason that makes Yemen a fertile ground for terrorism is the fact it has been a country of chaos2. Tribal domination is also a problem in Yemen with the existence of three dominant tribes in the nation. These tribes, Shibwa, Marib and Jawf control large parts of the country contributing to the rampant lawlessness across the country. These tribes are also known to harbour terrorist as well as their sympathizers3. Yemen has rugged terrain that makes it possible to pursue arrest and interrogate terrorism suspects in the country4. Terrorist groups, such as Al- Qaeda, have relocated most of their operation bases form other countries to Yemen. Pakistan, for example, has been an increasingly unsafe location for terrorist activities due to the presence of foreign antiterrorism and peacekeeping troops. This has forced terrorist groups from out of Pakistan into Yemen where there is little disturbance from external forces5. In the recent past, Yemen tribes have been accused of not willing to release terrorists in their midst. This is because most of the terrorist groups based in Yemen provide these Yemen tribes with money and other benefits6. This mutual existence between the Yemen tribes and terrorists has led to the development of a close association between these two parties. Although the Yemen authorities have expressed their interest in flushing out any Al- Qaeda or any other terrorist groups out of the country, the difficulty in administering the tribal regions has made these efforts fruitless7. These tribes always refuse to hand over any of its leaders to the authorities irrespective of the charges facing them. This has been the case even when terrorism charges are involved8. These Yemen tribes have a custom that prohibits any member of the tribe or a guest to the tribe from being handed over to the State authorities9. The refusal to hand over any of their own or their guest to the State is also caused by the tribes’ lack of faith in the judicial systems of the State. They do not trust that justice will be done by the government. This lack of faith between the two has resulted from previous cases where some falsely accused suspects were convicted by the State using fabricated evidence10. With the increase in terrorist presence and activity in Yemen, most of the country’s economic and natural resources continue to quickly diminish. The population in the country is also increasing at a high rate and so is the rate of unemployment. There are also limited sources of fresh water and the little oil resources are depleting fast. With this trend, the country is set to become unstable and hence threaten the security of the neighbouring countries as well as the entire world11. The crisis cause by the instability of these environmental, economic as well as political factors provides a fertile ground for the recruitment and training of terrorists12. The severity of terrorism in this country, however, cannot be associated only with the dangers and threats it poses to other nations. It has been difficult to finish terrorism activities in Yemen because of the political, social and economic condition of the country. Being a poor country with unstable politics and disorderly social setting, Yemen has become a natural shelter for terrorists13. The social root is a major factor for terrorism in Yemen. The people of this nation have a high fertility rate which results in a quick increase in the population of the State. Coupled with high rates of unemployment in the country, the high fertility rate makes Yemen a naturally preferred ground for terrorism and other crimes. In addition to this, Yemen has demographic complexities that make national identity difficult to accomplish14. There are two different radical Muslim groups in the country. These groups, the Shiite and Sunni, have different ideologies and it is therefore difficult to strike a peaceful coexistence between the two. The different sects live in different areas of the country hence making any effort for social integration difficult to achieve15. The low level of education in Yemen is an obstacle for efforts to promote nationality and loyalty to the State. Many of the citizens only recognize their clans and tribal customs rather than the State’s law16. Terrorist groups normally take advantage of this loophole to conduct their activities in the country. The spread of weapons throughout the country is also another contributing factor to the increase of terrorist activities in Yemen. The many years that the country has been at war, either internally or with other neighbouring countries, has lead to the increase of weapons such as guns in Yemen. Most of the tribes too have a war-like tradition and a culture of vengeance. This encourages the availability of firearms among men, women and children as well17. Although the social political and economic situations in Yemen have been contributing factors to the increase of terrorist activities in the country, its geographical location has also been significantly involved. This country is located next to the Suez Canal on the southern side of Saudi Arabia. These waters are strategic for international transport and bypass to other oil-rich countries that border Yemen. Yemen, and the Near East region at large, has seen an increase in terrorist activity especially in the year 2011. Most terrorist groups in the region attempted to exploit the Arab Awakening that occurred around this time. In this same year, however, the Yemen government had a change of power it would have been expected that the new president of the State come in with radical changes, especially regarding terrorism policy. The new system of governance in the country did not stand much chance in its efforts to restructure the military and the political system. The United States, as well as other countries that have strong antiterrorism policies, believe that the Al- Qaeda group of terrorists poses the most danger in terrorism. However, with the Pakistan terrorist bases decimated, Yemen remains the only safe grounds for the terrorists to conduct their activities. The change in political power, therefore, did not bring about much difference in efforts to reduce terrorism in Yemen18. The position of Yemen on terrorism has therefore almost remained the same. The Yemen tribes are still giving refuge to terrorist groups who conduct their activities without much disturbance. When these terrorists show their interest of confronting some specific countries such as the United States of America and Israel, they gain sympathy from the Yemen tribes. This is because the tribes view some of these countries as a common enemy and hence they can afford to accommodate the terrorists. These foreign countries have shown interest in Yemen’s political and economic deployment causing a rift between the Yemen government and the tribes19. Since 2011, therefore, the United States has stepped up counterterrorist efforts against Yemen in order to neutralize activities that pose a threat to the country and the world at large. The attacks launched by the U.S have been coordinated by both the Central Intelligence Agency and Pentagon. These attacks are aimed at the regions that have much of the terrorist activities in Yemen and other places in the Arabian Peninsula. The influence of terrorism activity in Yemen on other neighbouring countries is far reaching within the Near East region. In 2011, for example, this region was the most active in terms of terrorist activities with widespread instability experienced by countries close to Yemen. Many terrorist organizations in Yemen intended to strike different targets in the region with the purpose of garnering influence in the States that were undergoing transitions20. Some of the activities included kidnappings for ransom extortion, attack on foreign military bases and threats to U.S targets within the region. This affected many countries such as Lebanon, Iran, Palestine, Israel and Iraq. During this period, most terrorist groups were able to expand their influence deeper into other regions in Yemen. One of these most influential terrorist groups was the Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP). This group, however, suffered some significant losses in 2011when its leader, commanders and some militants died in Abyan21. The government of Yemen took this chance of weakness to launch attacks on the bases of AQAP in the southern region of the country. Counterterrorism forces and other troops trained in the U.S. were deployed into this region to flush out the terrorist groups. Although this operation succeeded in disrupting some of the terrorist activities and operations, AQAP was not fully taken down and it continues to conduct its activities in Yemen. Most of these terrorist activities are not only targeted to foreigners but also to the Yemeni government. One such attack was carried out in 2011. During this attack, AQAP used different fronts of attack ranging from explosive devices, car bombs to ambushes. They targeted civilians, the government and foreigners especially in the southern region. In March, the same year, a Yemeni intelligence officer survived an AQAP attempt to assassinate him in Abyan. On a later date, however, another intelligence officer was killed by the same group of terrorists22. Most of Yemen’s neighbouring countries are largely affected by the increase of terrorism activities in the country. There is uncertainty whether the instability experienced in Yemen could spill over and destabilize other governments in the region. Some of these countries have been affected both economically and politically from this crisis. Foreign investors shy away from the region because of the uncertainty in long-term stability in the region as well as the limited trade opportunities that are available there. This has led to a reduction in economic growth and capital inflow in those countries. These countries have also had to invest highly in security to keep off the encroachment of terrorism from Yemen. This is because most terrorists are interested in broadening their command areas by establishing bases and recruiting from neighbouring countries23. According to the current situation in Yemen, terrorism is set to increase in the future. This country is highly challenged economically, socially and politically and hence these factors may shape future trends of terrorism in the country. Currently, there is more than forty percent of the population in this country living in poverty24. This may be a major cause for an increase in terrorist recruitments in the country. With some of the country’s natural resources such as water and oil undergoing depletion, there is no hope for the reduction of the poverty rates or improvement of the economic condition. The country, therefore, continues to depend on foreign aid for the survival of most of its population. Other factors that are bound to increase terrorism activities in Yemen include the diminishing rates of literacy among the citizenry, the high rates of unemployment as well as the uncontrolled population growth25. If these trends go unchecked, Yemen may become a failed state in the future. This would be triggering an increase in terrorism since terrorism groups may be formed in the northern regions of the country. The new government formed in 2012 faces opposition not only from dominant tribes in the land but also from the former regime. There is, therefore, little chance for political stability in the country. This, coupled with the other factors discussed above, may cause an increase in terrorism activity in Yemen in the future. Bibliography Alexander, Yonah. International Terrorism: Political and Legal Documents. Dordrecht u.a: Nijhoff, 1992. Aubrey, Stefan M. The New Dimension of International Terrorism. Zürich: vdf-Hochschulverl, 2004. Boucek, Christopher, and Marina Ottaway. Yemen on the Brink. Washington, D.C: Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, 2010. Cordesman, Anthony H., and Khalid R. Al-Rodhan. Gulf Military Forces in an Era of Asymmetric Wars. Westport, Conn: Praeger Security International, 2006. Crotty, William J. Democratic Development and Political Terrorism: The Global Perspective. Boston: Northeastern University Press, 2005. Enders, Walter, and Todd Sandler. The Political Economy of Terrorism. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2012. Forest, James J. F. Countering Terrorism and Insurgency in the 21st Century: International Perspectives 3 Lessons from the Fight against Terrorism. Westport, Conn. [u.a.]: Praeger Security International, 2007. Johnson, Loch K. Strategic Intelligence Understanding the Hidden Side of Government. Westport, Conn: Praeger Security International, 2007. . Keller, Bill, and Alexander Star. Open Secrets: WikiLeaks, War and American Diplomacy. New York, NY: The New York Times, 2011. Kostiner, Joseph. The Struggle for South Yemen. London u.a: Croom Helm u.a, 1984. Kushner, Harvey W. Encyclopedia of Terrorism. Thousand Oaks, CA [etc.]: Sage, 2003. Lonely Planet Staff, and Jenny Walker. Oman, UAE and the Arabian Peninsula. Lonely Planet Publications, 2010. Mannes, Aaron. Profiles in Terror: The Guide to Middle East Terrorist Organizations. Lanham, Md. [u.a.]: Mickolus, Edward F. The Terrorist List. Westport, Conn: Praeger Security International, 2009. Pati, Roza. Due Process and International Terrorism: An International Legal Analysis. Martinus Nijhoff, 2009. Quin, Mary. Kidnapped in Yemen: One Woman's Amazing Escape from Terrorist Captivity. Edinburgh: Mainstream, 2005. Ramraj, Victor Vridar, Michael Yew Meng Hor, and Kent Roach. Global Anti-Terrorism Law and Policy. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2006. Rotberg, Robert I. Battling Terrorism in the Horn of Africa. Cambridge, Mass: World Peace Foundation, 2005. Salmoni, Barak A., Bryce Loidolt, and Madeleine Wells. Regime and Periphery in Northern Yemen: The Huthi Phenomenon. Santa Monica, CA: RAND, 2010. Shai, Sha·ul. Islamic Terror Abductions in the Middle East. Brighton [u.a.]: Sussex Acad. Press, 2007. Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, 2004. Shay, Shaul, and Rachel Liberman. The Red Sea Terror Triangle: Sudan, Somalia, Yemen, and Islamic Terror. New Brunswick, NJ [u.a.]: Transaction Publ, 2007. Terrill, W. Andrew. The Conflicts in Yemen and U.S. National Security. Carlisle, PA: Strategic Studies Institute, U.S. Army War College, 2011. . United States. Al Qaeda in Yemen and Somalia: A Ticking Time Bomb : a Report to the Committee on Foreign Relations, United States Senate, One Hundred Eleventh Congress, Second Session, January 21, 2010. Washington: U.S. G.P.O., 2010. . West, Deborah L. Combating Terrorism in the Horn of Africa and Yemen. Cambridge, Mass: Program on Intrastate Conflict and Conflict Resolution, Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs, John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University, 2005. White, Jonathan Randall. Terrorism and Homeland Security. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth Cengage Learning, 2012. Read More

With the increase in terrorist presence and activity in Yemen, most of the country’s economic and natural resources continue to quickly diminish. The population in the country is also increasing at a high rate and so is the rate of unemployment. There are also limited sources of fresh water and the little oil resources are depleting fast. With this trend, the country is set to become unstable and hence threaten the security of the neighbouring countries as well as the entire world11. The crisis cause by the instability of these environmental, economic as well as political factors provides a fertile ground for the recruitment and training of terrorists12.

The severity of terrorism in this country, however, cannot be associated only with the dangers and threats it poses to other nations. It has been difficult to finish terrorism activities in Yemen because of the political, social and economic condition of the country. Being a poor country with unstable politics and disorderly social setting, Yemen has become a natural shelter for terrorists13. The social root is a major factor for terrorism in Yemen. The people of this nation have a high fertility rate which results in a quick increase in the population of the State.

Coupled with high rates of unemployment in the country, the high fertility rate makes Yemen a naturally preferred ground for terrorism and other crimes. In addition to this, Yemen has demographic complexities that make national identity difficult to accomplish14. There are two different radical Muslim groups in the country. These groups, the Shiite and Sunni, have different ideologies and it is therefore difficult to strike a peaceful coexistence between the two. The different sects live in different areas of the country hence making any effort for social integration difficult to achieve15.

The low level of education in Yemen is an obstacle for efforts to promote nationality and loyalty to the State. Many of the citizens only recognize their clans and tribal customs rather than the State’s law16. Terrorist groups normally take advantage of this loophole to conduct their activities in the country. The spread of weapons throughout the country is also another contributing factor to the increase of terrorist activities in Yemen. The many years that the country has been at war, either internally or with other neighbouring countries, has lead to the increase of weapons such as guns in Yemen.

Most of the tribes too have a war-like tradition and a culture of vengeance. This encourages the availability of firearms among men, women and children as well17. Although the social political and economic situations in Yemen have been contributing factors to the increase of terrorist activities in the country, its geographical location has also been significantly involved. This country is located next to the Suez Canal on the southern side of Saudi Arabia. These waters are strategic for international transport and bypass to other oil-rich countries that border Yemen.

Yemen, and the Near East region at large, has seen an increase in terrorist activity especially in the year 2011. Most terrorist groups in the region attempted to exploit the Arab Awakening that occurred around this time. In this same year, however, the Yemen government had a change of power it would have been expected that the new president of the State come in with radical changes, especially regarding terrorism policy. The new system of governance in the country did not stand much chance in its efforts to restructure the military and the political system.

The United States, as well as other countries that have strong antiterrorism policies, believe that the Al- Qaeda group of terrorists poses the most danger in terrorism. However, with the Pakistan terrorist bases decimated, Yemen remains the only safe grounds for the terrorists to conduct their activities. The change in political power, therefore, did not bring about much difference in efforts to reduce terrorism in Yemen18.

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