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  "authors": [
    "Christopher Boucek"
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    "Carnegie Endowment for International Peace",
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Source: Getty

In The Media

Islamic Rule in Yemen?

If the current unrest and protests in Yemen bring about the fall of the country’s regime, Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula will be able to operate with fewer constraints and present an even greater threat to the United States.

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By Christopher Boucek
Published on Mar 2, 2011
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Middle East

The Middle East Program in Washington combines in-depth regional knowledge with incisive comparative analysis to provide deeply informed recommendations. With expertise in the Gulf, North Africa, Iran, and Israel/Palestine, we examine crosscutting themes of political, economic, and social change in both English and Arabic.

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Source: Fox News

Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP), the organization behind the attempted Christmas Day 2009 attack and last October’s cargo bomb plot, is the biggest threat to America’s homeland security emanating from a terrorist organization, explained Carnegie’s Christopher Boucek on Fox News’ Happening Now. The rising unrest in Yemen, while not instigated by AQAP, benefits the organization. Buocek warned that instability in Yemen, particularly if it leads to the fall of the Yemeni regime, will allow AQAP to operate with fewer constraints and further threaten the United States.

The United States should help the Yemeni government grow its capacity to govern as well as its capacity to thwart AQAP, Boucek said. He noted, “our rhetoric needs to match our resources when it comes to AQAP.”

About the Author

Christopher Boucek

Former Associate, Middle East Program

Boucek was an associate in the Carnegie Middle East Program where his research focused on security challenges in the Arabian Peninsula and Northern Africa.

    Recent Work

  • Q&A
    Yemen After Saleh’s Return and Awlaki’s Exit

      Christopher Boucek

  • Q&A
    Rivals—Iran vs. Saudi Arabia

      Christopher Boucek, Karim Sadjadpour

Christopher Boucek
Former Associate, Middle East Program
Christopher Boucek
Political ReformSecurityMiddle EastYemenGulf

Carnegie does not take institutional positions on public policy issues; the views represented herein are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of Carnegie, its staff, or its trustees.

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