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Ten years ago, the USS Cole was bombed off the coast of Yemen. Since then, the situation in Yemen has deteriorated. Washington must take a balanced approach and rely on both short-term counterterrorism operations and long-term development assistance.
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.
In spite of the military surge in Afghanistan, the situation is worsening and neither the civilian surge nor relying on the Afghan army to increase its offensive capabilities will prevent the situation from deteriorating further.
Catastrophic flooding in Pakistan this summer threatens to undermine counterinsurgency efforts as the military turns its focus to relief and recovery missions.
As the floodwaters recede, Pakistan is assessing the impact of its worst-ever flooding and beginning the long rebuilding process. In spite of this tragedy, the terrible losses should not prevent Pakistan’s economy from growing nor severely restrict its military’s counterterrorism efforts.
The ubiquity and global connectivity of the internet has proven to be an unrivaled source of knowledge and inspiration, as well as an unmatched vehicle for terrorist and extremist propaganda, recruitment, and fundraising.
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.
The counterinsurgency strategy in Afghanistan is failing and the longer the United States waits to begin negotiating with the Taliban, the stronger the Taliban will be and the less likely it is that they will be willing to talk.
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