While the Pentagon often presents the war in Yemen as being against al-Qaeda by way of trying to justify ever deeper direct US involvement, al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) leader Qasim al-Rimi was a bit more frank about the situation, noting AQAP forces regularly fight “alongside” the US-backed Sunni forces.
That’s an often unspoken reality of the Yemen War, of course, as Sunni tribal forces which are often presented as allies to the Saudis, supported by US-coordinated airstrikes, and “militias” loyal to the Saudi-backed government, regularly coordinate wtth AQAP in fighting against the Shi’ite Houthis.
This is something the Saudis have preferred not to make a public fact, as the war is already sectarian enough in nature without having direct al-Qaeda involvement, but policy was established very early in the war to attack the Shi’ites wherever they could be found, and to look the other way when AQAP ended up taking over territory in the process.
AQAP doesn’t see it as fighting alongside the US, of course, they see it as fighting with “fellow Muslims” against the Shi’ites,, who they consider heretics. With the Pentagon looking to get more deeply involved in a direct way in the war, however, they may find themselves with some uncomfortable allies.
So they just fight for fighting’s sake? That is sad.
And all of this fighting alongside Al Qaeda in the name of an “authorization for use of military force against the perpetrators of 9/11…” to evade congressional oversight and war declaration. Maybe this is about how badly the US treats its own allies… we arrange for the killing of our enemies by fighting alongside them?!?
The monarchies of the Arabian Peninsula are entirely British creations, and AQAP is just another of their business entities. Religion plays no true role, but dirty money and drugs do.
isAnybody surprised? AQAP, Al-Qaeda in Mesopotamia, as well as Al-Qaeda in Maghreb — all products of various intelligence projects between US, Saudi Arabia with support from other ME or European allies, particularly UK. It has been known for ever that the founder of AQAP was Saudi asset, Saudi financed, equipped, direction provided. The particular ideology (Takfiri) is Saudi concocted twist on an already fanatical Salafi Sunni fundamentalism. Takfirism goes a whole lots further, as they throw away the tenets of Islam where not everyone is allowed to declare someone else a nonbeliever, or apostate. Takfiris do that at will. They can declare any Moslem apostate, and kill without judicial process. Let us not delude ourselves that this is only a particular Yemeni situation, as Saudi Arabia is practicing a slow moving genocide against Shia, wherever they may be found. As Iran happens to be a strongest Shia state, clearly, it will be blamed for everything. Our politicians go as far as to claim that it is Iran that is a prime sponsor of terrorism! Closing eyes to the Saudi sponsored, paid for, armed and managed Salafi Takfiri cults sprouting under whatever name. For a subsistence pay, there are now millions of Sunnis destitute after the Iraqi war, as well as never ending attempts to undermine Pakistan, and never ending occupation of Afghanistan. It is not a secret to anyone that Al-Qaeda in Syria has been mightily politically protected, portrayed almost as saints that are protecting civilians in Aleppo, funded, renamed, given Oscar for their fake White Helmets. Now that a new brand has been shown successful in capturing the imagination of destitute and desperate Sunnis — ISIS — it is under this label that “war on terror” has been waged, from Libya to Afghanistan. Never asking how does ISIS get around, because surely it is not by magic carpets. All fanatical cults are in one way or the other supported by US and its ME allies. Salafis in Egypt rose up against Morsi on Saudi initiative, supported no doubt by US. Return of military to power was somewhat of a negative surprise, since Salafi parties, aided by Western sponsored NGOs were poised to elect Abu Musa, former head of Arab League. But Sisi decimated Moslem Brotherhood, getting the approval of Saudi Arabia, and funds to patch a destroyed economy, the legacy of Mubarak rule and IMF. Only Sisi had different plans, after getting loyalty of former Mubarak administrators, governors, judges — he is less vulnerable to Salafi parties dependence on Saudi Arabia. Salafis in Egypt are political parties with a lots of power, but Sisi made them be vary of associating themselves with Saudi Arabia, following a deliberate “crisis” over handover of two islands to the Kingdom, as well as Egypt’s withdrawal from Yemen adventure. So, the favorite tool of US/Saudi globalism, ISIS, getting its presence known in Egypt, attacking soft targets to delegitimize Sisi government. But Saudi Arabia forgot that should Salafi parties in Egypt make a wrong move, he will be more then happy to get many of MB elites on his side, and pacify many MB supporters. The use of Saudi sponsored cults has been cost effective. It all amounts to minimal subsistence pay and food supplement, arms, telecom, transport and religious leaders, and the fanaticism does the rest. This has been the favorite tool of globalism, as the Saudi Arabia does not want to see strong, secular and sovereign states in Moslem world. Such states are direct threat to the absolute rule by monarchies. Instead, lose caliphates following Sharia decrees issued Mecca, and the worldly affairs managed by Saudi Arabia — is the vision of the new ME. With Iraq on its knees, divided by religion and ethnicity, Syria is an important battlefront. It is a battle for the survival of secular, sovereign state, and thus, any group that can be mustered to attack its institutions has been unleashed. From the local opportunists, to Saudi Takfiri fanatics, and a better organized Al-Qaeda. dfWhat is happening in Yemen is a genocide. There are no two ways about it. Random killing with a goal of subjugation of the entire population of former Yemen — or Shia Yemen. By trying to impose unelected Sunni southerner as a president, attempt is made to keep Yemen an unified state, and give power to Sunni South — thus controlling Bab Al-Mandeb straits, as well as any chance for Shia north to be a viable state, once key ports are taken away. Shia does not want Aden, but it needs its ports of Mocha and Hodeidah. The complication is arising for Saudi Arabia as some Sunnis are not loyal to Saudi Arabia, and want to have back their historic state of Hadramouth with the capital Mukkala. Many a wealthy Saudi family traces its origins to that part of Arabia, and many have invested money into the region. And many see it as their offshore heaven, outside of Saudi Kingdom control. So, when US is “fighting against Al-Qaeda” it is only attacking those suspected secessionists. Both Sunni secessionists from Hadramouth and Zaidi Shia (Houthis, using the name of their leader) are perfectly in agreement to split the country. They are having no problem with outside entity like UAE controlling Aden. But nobody wants Saudi Arabia extending its control of the Southern
I wish I could say I was surprised. Here’s hoping the Houthis can hold on and pull off something like Tet. Make Yemen the Saudi’s Vietnam. SOLIDARITY.
The US IS AlQaeda. No more, no less.