‘Counter-Terrorism’ and ‘Targeted Killings’… these two hoodwinking words have been sloppily used today and like most other words of the same intended origin, speak nothing but muffled truths! With the backdrop turning violent in Yemen, US Predator Drones scavenging the skyline, missiles and combat plans failing to distinguish between who is who, what does a common Yemeni think?
Although internal back biting was a major reason for the fall of Saleh in January 2012, there were other more complex things like the involvement of Al Qaeda in Arabian Provinces (AQAP) in state matters, especially their growing insurgency in the Southern province of Aden. Hence, AQAP always remained a big concern for the commoners and the leadership alike.
With the country altering its conformation to welcome President Hadi, US saw in this chaotic redundancy a spotless orderliness for savouring its interests to substantiate US counter terrorism policies.
Led by Obama and John O Brennan, the policy aims to combat AQAP to entail safety to itself and to the Yemeni government. Following its “moral duty to alleviate Yemen from the dangers of Al Qaeda”, a series of Drone attacks, the most popular way of targeted killing, shook the world and brought affront a rather shaky side of US administration. In response to the infamous USS Cole bombing and Christmas Day bombing, their first targets were the AQAP leader Anwar al-Awlaki and Sameer Khan on September 30, and only incited their activities.
However, as the mission unfolded, scores of loopholes came up and more civilians than militants died because of these undertakings. Ironically, more than 90% of the civilians are more scared of the so-called-saviours than they are of the alleged murderers!
Surveys carried out in the country reveal shocking results that are in direct contrast with what U.S and the world media churned out. Just 1% thinks that the government is right in taking US aid in combating AQAP while shockingly there is rising acceptance and favourism among people for Awlaki and others. People in the Abyan district, the hot spot of renewed US droning activities think that with the Islamist military invasion, their plight is improved and the earlier slack seems to have shed away!
To my earlier question that what is a common Yemeni thinking, the only probable and rightful answer is that He is not happy… letting the world fret over Terrorism is far better than seeing family and friends die.
Thus a question lurks over U.S today, “WHEN WOULD OBAMA FINALLY PRACTICE WHAT HE PREACHES??”
Image courtesy:Â http://article.wn.com/view/2011/10/21/Politics_of_Predator_Drone_Strikes_and_Military_Invasions/