US airstrikes in Yemen are ‘criminal’ – political analyst
Published: 09 June, 2011, 21:27
Edited: 10 June, 2011, 01:51
Armed Yemeni opposition tribesmen keep watch in a street in Taiz (Taez) on June 8, 2011 as Yemen's second largest city was calm (AFP Photo / Mohammed Huwais)
(18.3Mb) embed videoTAGS: Conflict, Military, Middle East, Protest, Politics, USA, Tesa Arcilla
After a break of nearly a year, America's covert war in Yemen is up and running again, with armed drones and fighter jets hitting a number of suspected militant targets.
With President Ali Abdullah Saleh recuperating outside of the country, the US, Saudi Arabia and the Yemeni opposition are pressing for a formal end to his rule and the formation of a new government.
On June 8, tribesmen collected the bodies of 10 more of their fallen comrades from the streets of their main stronghold, Sanaa's Hassaba district, where most of the battles have taken place.
Sara Flounders from the US-based International Action Center, which opposes American wars abroad, says the US military campaign in Yemen is criminal.
“This is just illegal; it is absolute lawlessness, and this has been going on for weeks,” Flounders declared. “In Yemen the US is there to protect the 33-year dictatorship of Saleh, and potentially bring him back.”
Despite reports that the US recently killed an important Al Qaeda operative, Flounders says there is no way of knowing that such reports are true.
“We have seen the Pentagon claiming such things, and it’s then found out to be a whole village of civilians, 10 or 20 children,” she said.
The campaign in Yemen was halted a year ago because of concerns about poor intelligence leading to bungled missions and civilian deaths.
Political analyst Eric Stoner believes turning a covert war in Yemen into an official foreign campaign is not a wise way to fight terrorism.
“According to surveys, the Yemeni people are extremely opposed to the US,” he said. “I think increased military strikes and the potential of a full-scale war in the country would really inflame the anti-American sentiment in the country, and likely drive many more people into the arms of Al Qaeda.”
09.06.2011, 19:52
5 comments
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Five muslim countries are under attack and muslims are the one who want to kill followers of other religions.Which one is more terrorizing 5 pound bomb from suicide bomber once in a year or even less US or EU, or 1000 pound bombs killing innocents every single day in muslim countries?
This is really unfortunate. Now, what about the U.S drone attacks which kill people in remote villages in Afghanistan and Pakistan? What about running torture camps? I do not worry anymore the U.S illegal wars aggression; my primary concerns is whether Russia, China along with some of the emerging powers can form a common defense against the march of this barbarism.







The airstrikes were halted a year ago because it was proven, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that the strike targets were opponents of President Saleh, not some militants. In fact, the mysterious AQAP (Al-Qaeda in Arabian Penninsula) is a Saudi-Yemeni invention. Money, arms, advisors and airstrikes were the benefits that the regime was receiving for the imaginary enemy. Saudi Arabia once did not execute an air strike as it became suspicious of Saleh's intelligence.
Now, that after four long months of killing civilians, tribes have finally called up armed rebellion, US is again standing up by Saleh. Tribes were deadly accurate after only three days of military action against regime. President was wounded and taken to Saudi Arabia. But his son and heir is still commanding his private army. Now, US has RESUMED HELPING SALEH's heir stay in power. Air strikes are against the tribes in the south, as they are most likely to take advantage of Saleh's relinquishing power. Even if there is going to be a negotiated settlement among the tribes of Yemen proper, the southern province which was FORCIBLY incorporated into Yemen, will likely want independance. No tribes in the north will have any problem with that. But Saleh will loose his oil fields, and his only source of money for private army and purchase of arms from US. So, it is US to the rescue, striking anti-Saleh people --- calling them Al-Qaeda.
What do we have UN for? If nobody in UN cares to demand the END to air strikes on countries, then they may as well go home. What is the point? US, France, UK and others can just let everyone know by phone which country they feel like "protecting" via their bombs next, and that will save everyone a lots of money!