Wednesday, December 13, 2017

Is The U.S. Drone War Against al Qaeda In Yemen Working?

A man walks past a graffiti, denouncing strikes by U.S. drones in Yemen, painted on a wall in Sanaa November 13, 2014 Khaled Abdullah/REUTERS

Rathna K. Muralidharan, RCD: Trump Drone War Against al Qaeda Paying Dividends

Since taking office, Trump has been particularly focused on targeting al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP), a major affiliate of the al-Qaeda network that operates primarily in Yemen and is a significant threat to the West. The Trump administration has escalated strike activity and walked back Obama era policies that restricted military and CIA operations in Yemen. As his first year in office comes to an end, it’s worth looking back at the president’s strike activity as a marker for what’s to come under, as well as after, his administration. How Trump dictates operations against AQAP will hold lasting consequences for future counterterrorism policies, regional stability, and the evolution of al-Qaeda’s threat to the U.S.

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WNU Editor:  Using drones is only a stop-gap measure .... not having boots on the ground to hold and deny territory to the enemy has never worked in the past, and will not now.

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