Q&A
Christopher Boucek
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Source: Getty
Testimony
Terrorist Threat to the U.S. Homeland - Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula
Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula now poses the greatest single terrorist threat to the United States—a greater danger even than al-Qaeda’s senior leadership.
Published on Mar 2, 2011
Source: March 2
U.S. Policy Recommendations:
- Increase economic and security assistance to Yemen: AQAP thrives on Yemen’s internal disarray and the government’s inability to control its own territory. The United States should increase aid to Yemen to help build state capacity and deny AQAP space to plot and plan attacks.
- Use caution when exercising force: To avoid antagonizing ordinary Yemenis, counterterrorism operations directed against AQAP should be proportionate, Yemeni-led, and minimize the risk of civilian casualties.
- Recognize the limits of hard power: In addition to exercising force, the United States must push Yemen to improve the government’s visibility and service delivery at the local level, thereby addressing some of the underlying grievances that helped give rise to AQAP in the first place.
“AQAP has emerged as the organization most likely to kill American nationals and to attack U.S. interests,” Boucek writes. “Very clearly Yemen’s problems are not staying in Yemen and AQAP poses a grave and growing threat to American domestic security.”
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.
- Yemen After Saleh’s Return and Awlaki’s Exit
- Rivals—Iran vs. Saudi ArabiaQ&A
Christopher Boucek, Karim Sadjadpour
Recent Work
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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