Yemen Gets Worse, But It's Still a Model For Success?

Source: BBC

I wrote about the imminent collapse of Yemen just six days ago, and it's already gotten much worse.  The situation is so bad that the president got out while the getting's good, Saudi Arabia has been leading air strikes against Shia rebels, and according to the AP, an invasion is next. 

Once the airstrikes have weakened the rebels and their allies in the military forces loyal to former President Ali Abdullah Saleh, a ground invasion of Yemen is planned by Egyptian Saudi and other forces. 

The assault will come from Saudi Arabia and by landings on Yemen's coasts along the Red and Arabian seas, according to three Egyptian military and security officials. 

Three to five Egyptian troop carriers are stationed offshore, they said, although the number of troops was not specified, and the timing of the operation was not given. 

The aim is not to occupy Yemen but to weaken the Houthis and their allies until they enter negotiations for power-sharing, the officials said, speaking on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to talk about the plans with the press.  

But fear not!  Yemen is still a model for counter-terrorism success.


You can read a transcript of the exchange from ABC News here.  Here's a bit of it.

QUESTION: You know, that -- that's astounding. You're saying that you still see Yemen as the model? I mean, the central -- building up the central government, a central government which is now collapsed; a president who has apparently fled the country. You know, Saudi troops massing on one border; the Iranians, you know, supporting the rebels. You consider this -- this as a model for counterterrorism? 

EARNEST: Again, John, what the United States considers to be our strategy when confronting the effort to try to mitigate the threat that is posed by extremists, is to prevent them from establishing a safe haven. And certainly in a chaotic, dangerous situation like in Yemen, what the United States will do and has done is worked to try to support the central government, to build up the capacity of local fighters, and use our own technological and military capabilities to apply pressure on the extremists there.

If White House Press Secretary, Josh Earnest's response sounds like nonsense to you, it's probably because you're not high.  If so, a move to Washington State or Colorado may be in order.