14 May 2012 By Abdul
Rahman Al-Rashed
Until Mishale Ashadouki - a Saudi national affiliated
to al-Qaeda and wanted by the Saudi security apparatus
- made his telephone call, no one could identify the
kidnapper of the Deputy Consul of Saudi Arabia in the
Yemeni city of Aden. Deputy Consul Abdullah al-Khaledi
was kidnapped three weeks ago amidst the most
dangerous circumstances Yemen has experienced in the
past half century. Yemen is being torn apart because
of the civil disobedience undertaken by the relatives
and adherers of former President Ali Abdullah Saleh,
the Houthis' desire to expand their areas of
influence, and the Southern secessionists' attempts to
establish their own state by exploiting the difficult
birth of the new regime in Sana'a. What is even more
dangerous is the war being waged by al-Qaeda, whose
affiliates seized the city of Lawdar before being
driven away by force, only to later on seek refuge in
other villages in Abyan and elsewhere. Although the war on
al-Qaeda is not being televised, it continues unabated
almost on a daily basis. Nearly 200 al-Qaeda
affiliates were killed last week, and prior to this
three suspected terrorists were killed by a drone
attack, a strike very likely launched by the US. Al-Qaeda
reacted by murdering four Yemeni soldiers the next
day. The terrorist organization has moved hundreds of
its fighters from Afghanistan, Iran and Somalia,
having suffered consecutive defeats in these countries
recently, in addition to its defeat in Saudi Arabia,
and deployed them in Yemen. This information only
serves to remind us that we are facing a growing
danger. Yet some Yemeni observers are underestimating
the problem, believing that al-Qaeda is a mere façade
or just a pretext invented by the affiliates of the
ousted president to spread chaos across Yemen. I agree
with them that the former President, or his inner
circle, is acting to create chaos in the country,
although this is utter stupidity because in the end
everything will be lost. As for al-Qaeda, it is not a
scarecrow but a reality that is prevalent today in
Yemen, exploiting the fragility of the central
government, as evidenced by the kidnapping of the
Saudi diplomat. This act sent an explicit message
around the world under the new title of 'Yemen', not
Afghanistan or Pakistan. The Yemeni people will not be
able to eradicate such a cancer unless they
acknowledge its danger and fight it as a genuine
organization, capable of rapidly proliferating due to
its extreme religious ideology, and its recruitment
and fund-raising support offered by foreign parties
including Iran. In fact, Iran has extended its
activities as part of its policy to tighten the grip
on its opponents such as Saudi Arabia, and as part of
its endeavor to dominate Yemen. Although we know from
past experience that al-Qaeda will never succeed in
establishing a state of its own, no matter how much it
infiltrates and gains footholds on the ground, it can
succeed in widespread sabotage and destruction, as
seen with the burning of Afghanistan and decline of
Pakistan, which continues to suffer complete chaos.
Al-Qaeda has ignited a war involving Iran, the US and
dozens of other states, a war that continues to blaze
until today. This is what we dread in Yemen; we fear
that this country could transform into a scene of
endless wars. Considering the weak
central authority, the tribal structure in Yemen could
play a key role in stabilizing the country. A tribe
may function as a domestic policeman to deter and
expel al-Qaeda, at a time when the Yemeni armed forces
are exhausted as a result of their previous exertions.
Everyone must be aware of the need to urgently
consolidate and support the central government, in
order to prevent Yemen from being torn apart. Al Rashed is the general manager of Al -Arabiya
television. He is also the former editor-in-chief of
Asharq Al- Awsat, and the leading Arabic weekly
magazine, Al Majalla. He is also a senior Columnist in
the daily newspapers of Al Madina and Al Bilad. He is
a US post-graduate degree in mass communications. He
has been a guest on many TV current affairs programs.
He is currently based in Dubai. Comments 💬 التعليقات |