Al Qaeda in Yemen Pushed Back, but Terrorism Threat Remains Strong

This article aims to assess the strength of Al Qaeda and its allies in the Arabian Peninsula after the Yemeni government, with the help of a U.S.-backed military campaign, pushed them out of the southern provinces of Abyan and Shabwa in June. Despite the gains of the new president, Abdu Rabbu Mansour Hadi, the Islamist fighters have shown that they are still capable of launching lethal attacks when and where they want. They continue to pose a significant threat to Yemen and to Western powers. President Hadi now faces huge challenges; the international community must continue to give him firm support—not only in fighting Al Qaeda and handling a reorganization of a divided military, but also in backing a democratic transition and stopping a worsening humanitarian crisis. The fear is that Hadi, who has failed to provide the population with basic services such as clean water, electricity, and health care, might lose the support, hearts, and minds of Yemen's citizenry. This would play into the hands of Al Qaeda. Last, the article looks at America's foreign policy in Yemen and its controversial expanded drones program as experts call for a broader, more comprehensive, and long-term U.S. approach in the country.