Houthi Advances in Yemen Pose Security Dilemma for the U.S.

Houthi Advances in Yemen Pose Security Dilemma for the U.S. (MES Insights v5i6 November 2014)

by Adam C. Seitz

In July 2014, the northern Yemeni city of Amran fell to insurgents led by Abdul-Maik al-Houthi. Amran had served as the capital for the elders of the influential Hashid tribal confederation since the 1962 Republican Revolution. Less than two months after the capture of Amran, Houthi militias swept into Sanaa, seizing a number of government buildings and military installations, setting up checkpoints throughout the Yemeni capital, and ultimately forcing the Yemeni government led by President Abd Rabu Mansour Hadi to sign the “Peace and Partnership” agreement on September 21, 2014. This in effect created a new political order in Yemen. In the two months following the agreement, the Houthis have captured a number of strategically important cities, including the port city of Hudaydah, and have advanced on a number of others controlled by al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) and its local affiliate Ansar alSharia (AAS).

Since 2002, U.S. efforts to disrupt, dismantle and ultimately destroy al-Qaeda and its affiliates in Yemen have relied upon a combination of partnership with the Yemeni military that includes capacity building of Yemeni security forces and U.S. airstrikes. Although the Houthis and the U.S. share a common enemy in AQAP and AAS, this does not equate to a situation in which the enemy of my enemy is my friend. On the contrary, the military and political gains made by the Houthis have created a new set of challenges for counterterrorism efforts in Yemen by the United States and its allies.......(Read on).............

Limitations of the " Yemen Model " to Counterterrorism

Limitations of the " Yemen Model " to Counterterrorism (MES Insights v5i5 September 2014)

by Adam C. Seitz

On 10 September 2014, U.S. President Barak Obama addressed the nation to lay out his administration’s strategy to “degrade and ultimately destroy the terrorist group known as ISIL [Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant].” To this end President Obama proposed a counterterrorism strategy that relied on a “systematic campaign of airstrikes” and an “increase in support to forces fighting these terrorists on the ground.” Comparing his strategy for ISIL to counterterrorism campaigns in Yemen and Somalia President Obama stated that, “This strategy of taking out terrorists who threaten us, while supporting partners on the front lines, is one that we have successfully pursued in Yemen and Somalia for years.”

President Obama’s use of Yemen and Somalia as models for a strategy against ISIL has once again reignited the debate on the overall effectiveness of U.S. counterterrorism strategy in both cases. In the case of the “Yemen Model,” a strategy, which has relied upon a combination of airstrikes and support for local forces, has thus far fallen short of the ultimate objective of destroying al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) and its local affiliate Ansar al-Sharia (AAS). Indeed, most intelligence and think-tank estimates point to an increase in the number of attacks and the size of AQAP in recent years. This is not to say that U.S. counterterrorism strategy has been completely ineffective, but rather that U.S. efforts have been limited by realities on the ground, especially those contributing to a lack of reliable and effective local partners. Understanding how the political and security environment in Yemen have limited U.S. counterterrorism efforts against AQAP may be useful in managing expectations as the U.S. seeks to duplicate the successes of the “Yemen Model” in Iraq and Syria.............(Read on)..........

Ties That Bind and Divide: The ‘Arab Spring’ and Yemeni Civil-Military Relations

"Ties That Bind and Divide: The ‘Arab Spring’ and Yemeni Civil-Military Relations" in Why Yemen Matters: A Society in Transition (Saqi Books 2014)

by Adam C. Seitz

Chapter in edited volume Why Yemen Matters: A Society in Transition (Saqi Books, 2014) edited by Helen Lackner.

In November 2011, an agreement brokered by the GCC brought an end to Yemen’s tumultuous uprising. The National Dialogue Conference has opened a window of opportunity for change, bringing Yemen’s main political forces together with groups that were politically marginalized. Yet, the risk of collapse is serious, and if Yemen is to remain a viable state, it must address numerous political, social and economic challenges.

In this invaluable volume, experts with extensive Yemen experience provide innovative analysis of the country’s major crises: centralized governance, the role of the military, ethnic conflict, separatism, Islamism, foreign intervention, water scarcity and economic development.

This is essential reading for academics, journalists, development workers, diplomats, politicians and students alike.

Read or download (PDF) chapter at:
https://marines.academia.edu/AdamCSeitz

Book and ebook available for purchase at:
http://www.saqibooks.co.uk/book/yemen-matters/
https://www.amazon.com/Why-Yemen-Matters-Society-Transition/dp/0863567770

REVIEWS

‘A rich, diverse and rewarding account of the multiple security dilemmas now facing Yemen’ Journal of Middle Eastern Studies 

‘Timely and important … An excellent record … [the contributors’] interviews with Yemenis make a welcome addition to the events, facts and figures that form the basis of the papers.’ Bulletin of the British Foundation for the Study of Arabia

‘An up to date and wide-ranging guide to what is arguably the Arab world’s least known and most misunderstood state … brings together an impressive range of experts on the country’ Michael Willis, Director of the Middle East Centre, Oxford University

‘Thoughtful and well-researched, Why Yemen Matters unearths a wealth of information about contemporary Yemeni society.’ Baghat Korany, Professor of International Relations, American University in Cairo

‘Essential reading … The authors shed light on the context of the Yemeni uprising in a way that helps us understand the outlines of Yemen’s future.’ Charles Schmitz, President of the American Institute of Yemeni Studies

‘A remarkable book in terms of its comprehensiveness, accessibility and ethical approach … a must-read for those wanting to go beyond the headlines' Jordan Times 

Building Yemen's Maritime Security Capacity

Building Yemen's Maritime Security Capacity (MES Insights v5i2 April 2014)

by Adam C Seitz

Over the past decade smuggling across the Gulf of Aden, Red Sea and Bab al-Mandeb has risen steadily. The illegal trafficking of weapons, drugs, and people continues to fuel sectarian and political violence, threatening Yemen's fragile political transition. At the same time, with a coastline stretching almost 2,000 km along some of the world most strategic waterways, Yemen's continued internal instability and insecurity perpetuates international concerns that Yemen may become a regional hub for transnational smuggling, piracy, and terrorism, posing a significant threat to the free flow of international trade and international security. As such, building the capacity of Yemen's maritime security forces should be a top priority, not only for the Yemeni government but for the international community as a whole.....(Read on).....

"Yemen" in the American Foreign Policy Councils World Almanac of Islamism 2014

"Yemen" in the American Foreign Policy Councils World Almanac of Islamism 2014 (Rowman & Littlefield)

by Adam C. Seitz

The American Foreign Policy Council’s World Almanac of Islamism is a comprehensive resource designed to track the rise or decline of radical Islam on a national, regional and global level. This database focuses on the nature of the contemporary Islamist threat around the world, and on the current activities of radical Islamist movements worldwide.

From Western Europe to Asia, from the Middle East to the Horn of Africa, societies are finding themselves under growing assault from radical Islamist forces. In some countries, such as Spain and France, the challenge posed by radical Islam is still limited in scope and embryonic in nature. But in others, including Somalia and Pakistan, it poses a mortal danger to the future of the existing state. The World Almanac of Islamism is the first comprehensive reference work to detail the global reach of Islamism across six continents. Each country study, written by leading subject-matter experts, examines the full scope of the Islamist phenomenon, from the activities of radical Islamist groups to the role of Islamist actors and ideas in society to the response—or complicity—of the local government. An additional series of “movement” studies explores the global reach, ideology, and capabilities of the world’s most powerful transnational Islamist movements. Finally, Almanac includes regional summaries and a global overview designed to provide context and strategic insights into current and emerging trends relating to Islamism the world over. 

Features of the new edition include: 

- Three new country studies (Nigeria, Brazil, Tanzania) 

- Two new movement studies (the Gulen movement and Boko Haram) 

- Updates to all original chapters 

- Consolidation of trends/analyses into one “Global Overview” 

Online resource available at: http://almanac.afpc.org/

Book and ebook available for purchase at:

https://rowman.com/ISBN/9781442231436/The-World-Almanac-of-Islamism-2014#

https://www.amazon.com/World-Almanac-Islamism-2014/dp/1442231432/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1530114735&sr=1-1