
Yemen is a nearly perfect haven for terrorists like al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula and the West must respond to the threat they pose, but an exclusive focus on counterterrorism will only increase the risk for the United States.

Yemen has become a hotbed of Islamic militancy and is now the home base for al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, which is arguably more of a global threat than the main branch of al-Qaeda.

Corruption is the root cause of Yemen’s stagnated growth, wasting vital resources, time, and human capabilities. Combating corruption should be a central part of any strategy to reduce instability and improve the lives of Yemeni citizens.

As Islamist movements in the Arab world become more politically active, they are struggling to pursue their moral and religious agenda while navigating daily political tussles. In the face of repressive regimes, they have achieved some popular support, but enjoyed few concrete successes.

The violence and insecurity in Somalia has spread beyond its borders through piracy, arms deals, human trafficking, and terrorism, and Washington lacks good policy options to confront this growing global threat.

Without addressing Yemen's immediate security challenges—including a civil war in the North, a secessionist movement in the South, and a resurgent al-Qaeda organization—the country's long-term economic and governance issues cannot be resolved.

As Islamist movements in the Arab world become more politically active, they are struggling to pursue their moral and religious agenda under unfriendly or repressive regimes.

If U.S. counterterrorism assistance to Yemen only takes the form of military and security cooperation, the result is likely to be an increase in the popular grievances that fuel militant groups like al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula.

The private sector has become the main driver of growth in the Middle East and North Africa, but more consistent and equitable regulations are needed to transform the region into a diversified, high-performance economy.

The violent jihad advocated by al-Qaeda is not widely accepted by Yemenis at this point, and there is a small window of opportunity to take steps to undermine al-Qaeda’s influence.