yemen/usa: license to kill; why the american drone war on yemen violates international law

7/27/2019 Yemen/USA: License to Kill; Why the American Drone War on Yemen Violates International Law

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License to KiLLWhy h Amra Dr War Ym Vla iraal Law

www.alkarama.org


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AlkaramaHR

alkarama.foundation

www.alkarama.org

@AlkaramaHR

Alkarama is a Swiss-based, independent human rights organisaon

established in 2004 to assist all those in the Arab World subjected to,

or at risk of, extra-judicial execuons, disappearances, torture and

arbitrary detenon. Acng as a bridge between individual vicms in

the Arab world and internaonal human rights mechanisms, Alkaramaworks towards an Arab world where all individuals live free, in dignity

and protected by the rule of law. In Arabic, Alkarama means dignity.

Alkarama Foundation, 2013

Original in French


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License to KiLLWy t Amica D Wa Ym

Vilat Itatial Law


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ThAnks

Our thanks to the Yemeni National Organization for Defending Rightsand Freedoms (HOOD) for its collaboration in the preparation ofthis report.


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1. irdu 10

1.1.PolicalOverview 10

1.2.Astrugglingeconomy 11

1.3.Aweakstatefacingstrongchallenges 11

2. Al-Qada Ym 13

2.1.Early2000s:TheJihadistmovementindecline 13

2.2.2006-2009:Triggeringthedownwardspiralofviolence 14

2.3.2010:Statedecayleadstoincreasedacviesofarmedgroups 16

2.4.2011:ThedeploymentofAnsaral-ShariaintheshadowoftheArabSpring 17

2.5.2012:Ansaral-Shariadislodged,thepopularcommieesbegintheirreign 18

3. Ym Amra rhar 20

3.1.1990-2000:Aneraofstrainedrelaons 20

3.2.Theimpactofthe11September2001aacks 20

3.3.Fromsuspiciontocooperaon 22

4. th War trrr udr Prd Barak obama 24

4.1.TheUnitedStatesnewstrategyintheGlobalWaronTerror 24

4.2.Theinstuonalisaonoftargetedkillings 25

4.3.ThePresidentoftheUnitedStateslegalizestargetedkillings 26

4.4.WhichagenciesareimplicatedinthemilitaryintervenoninYemen? 27

4.5.Howtargetsarechosen 30

5. Bw cpra ad irv 33

5.1.TheTestPhaseof2002-2009 33

5.2.TheSpringoftheDrones 34

6. th Dr War Ym 37

6.1.Thelackofinformaononairstrikes 37

6.2.YemeniauthoriesclaimresponsibilityforAmericanaacks. 38

6.3.Americanintervenoninterferesinaninternalconict 39

6.4.Dronesversusnegoaon 40


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6.5.Whoarethesenioroperaves? 42

6.6.Drones:aninstrumentofterroragainstthepopulaon 44

6.7.DronesreplaceGuantanamo 45

7. Ym plal par ad mvm ra dr rk 47

7.1.Acomplexpolicalsystem 47

7.2.PosioningaertheArabSpring 48

7.3.TheHumanRightsMinistrycondemnsdronestrikes 50

7.4.ThecauousposionoftheYemeniParliament 50

7.5.TheNaonalDialogueConferenceadoptsaresoluon 51

7.6.CivilSocietyraisesitsvoice 52

8. targd kllg udr raal law 55

8.1.Armedconict,Self-DefenseorLawEnforcementOperaon? 55

8.2.Basicprinciplesofarmedconictarenotrespected 57

8.3.IstheAmericanintervenonlegimateself-defence? 59

8.4.Targetedkillingsunderinternaonalhumanrightslaw 60

8.5.TheextrajudicialexecuonofAmericancizens 61

9. clu 62

10. Rmmda 63

11. Ax: t xampl f Amra arrk 64

Annex1:TheaackonAl-Majalah(Abyan),17December2009 65

Annex2:ThetargetedkillingofJaberAl-Shabwani,Marib,24May2010 75

Annex3:TheaackonAzzan(Shabwa),30mars2012 77

Annex4:TheaacksonJaar(Abyan),15May2012 79

Annex5:TheaackonKhashamir(Hadramout),29August2012 82

Annex6:TheaackonRadaa(Al-Baydha),2September2012 84

Annex7:Al-Shihr(Hadramout)on24December2012 88

Annex8:TheaackonAl-Shihr(Hadramout),28December2012 90

Annex9:TheaackonKhawlan(Sanaa),23January2013 91

Annex10:TheaackonWusab(Dhamar),17April2013 94


7/987AlkArAmA - Spb 2013 USA - Yemen: licenSe to kill

summary

Since2009,theUnitedStateshasregularlybombedYemen.Theseaerialaackshaveoccurredinalmosteveryprov-inceofthecountry.Inthepasttwoyears,thenumberofdronestrikeshasmulpliedandtheinfrastructurerequiredfortheseaackshavebeenexpanded,notonlyinYemen,butalsoinneighboringSaudiArabiaandDjibou.SincetherststrikesinNovember2002andunlthewringofthisreportinJuly2013,theUnitedStateshascarriedoutbetween134and234militaryoperaonsinYemen.Theseincludestrikesbyaircraanddronesaswellasmis-sileslaunchedfromwarshipslocatedintheGulfofAden.Accordingtovarioussources,esmatesofthenumberof

peoplekilledrangefrom1000to2000.However,tothisday,neithertheYemeninortheAmericanauthorieshaveputforwardocialstascsonthenumberofcasuales.

AlkaramacarriedoutanumberofeldinvesgaonsinYementhroughout2012and2013,inordertogatherwit-nessaccountsandvicmtesmoniesabouttheseaacks,aswellasinformaonfromtheirfamiliesandlawyers.Interviewswerealsoheldwithgovernmentocialsandmembersofcivilsociety.

ThisreportpresentstheresultsofourresearchandanalysisontheUSstrategyinitswaronterrorwithrespecttointernaonallaw.ItalsoexaminesthereaconsofUSaswellasYemeniocialsandcivilsocietyinlightoftheseri-ousviolaonscommied.Finally,thereportsetsoutrecommendaonstotheYemeniandUSauthories,aswellastotheUN,toaddresstheseissues.

Yemenscurrentpresident,Abdal-RabMansoural-Hadi,cametopowerinFebruary2012followingamassrevolu-onbytheYemenipopulaon.HereplacedAliAbdallahSalehwhohadruledthecountryfor33years.Sincethen,thecountryisintransion,withanaonaldialogueunderwaysinceMarch2013,encompassingYemensvariouspolicalgroups.ItshouldresultineleconsinFebruary2014.

Inthemeanme,thecurrentpresidenthasreinforcedYemenseswiththeUnitedStates,placinglargeregionsofYementerritoryatthedisposaloftheUSandencouragingitsmilitaryintervenoninthecountry,includingbyat-tribungtheresponsibilityofaackstotheUnitedStatesdirectly.ThishasincreasedtensionswithinthepopulaonwhichdoesnotsupportAmericanairstrikes.

Thisway,underthecoverofcounter-terrorismmeasures,theAmericanadministraonhasinvolveditselfdirectlyinanmul-dimensionalinternalconicttakingplacebetweenthecentralYemeniauthoriesandmulpleopposion

movementsincludingarmedgroupsofJihadisttendencynamelyal-QaedaandAnsaral-Shariabutalsothesouthseparastmovementanddierenttribesthatcontestthecentralgovernmentsauthority.

TheUnitedStateshasneverdeclaredwaronYemen,andinsteadreferstotheAUMF(AuthorizaontoUseMilitaryForce)resoluonof14September2001tojusfytheirintervenoninYemen,despitethefactthattheYemenigov-ernmentisconsideredanallyanddoesnotrepresentathreattotheUS.TheAUMFsetsoutmeasurestocombatthosewithesofanykindtotheaacksof11September2001.

Thishasbeeninterpretedtoincludeallthosethatareconsideredtobeassociatedforcesofal-Qaeda,althoughthisphrasedoesnotappearintheresoluonitself.ThisterminfactrstappearedinPresidentObamasspeechesandocialWhiteHousetextsandisusedtolegimizecombatagainstgroupswhoseeswithal-Qaedaarenotalwaysclearlyestablished.

ThequesonthatmustbeaskediswhethertheUnitedStatesareapplyingtherulesofwar,orlawenforcement?TheocialargumentputforwardbyAmericanocialsplaysontheconfusionbetweenthesetwonoonstojusfytargetedassassinaons.However,thedisnconbetweenthetwoisimportant,asifitisthelaer,thelawofarmedconictswouldapply,whileinthesecondcase,itwouldbethelawsgoverninglawenforcementthatapply,whichmustcomplywithinternaonalhumanrightslaw.

RegardlessofthecontextinwhichtheAmericanintervenoninYementakesplace,theAmericanmilitaryandtheC.I.Aconnuetousedrones,othertypesofmilitaryaircraaswellaswarshipstocommittargetedassassinaonsthatshouldbeconsidered,andqualied,asextrajudicialexecuons.

PresidentObamahimselfprovidedthecondionsrequiredforasuspecttobeassassinated;namelythattheperson

bedesignatedasbeingapersonofinterestunderUSlaw,thatheorsherepresentareal,directandimminentthreattotheUnitedStatesanditsinterests;thatitnotbepossibletocapturethepersonandthattheoperaondoesnottargetcivilians.Theadministraonceresthatonlytheleadersofal-Qaedaandassociatedforcesaretargeted,


8/988 USA - Yemen: licenSe to kill AlkArAmA - Spb 2013

withoutclarifyingthecriteriarequiredtoplaceindividualsonkilllists.Whatiscertain,however,isthatthenumberoftheseleadersisverysmallcomparedtothehundredsofthosewhohavebeenkilledduringthesestrikes.

Inreality,theforcesimplicatedalsotargetunidenedcombatantswhodonotplayaleadershiprole,whoareanonymousanddonothavechargesheldagainstthem.CiviliansalsosuerduetothehumanandtechnicalerrorsthatAmericanpolicalandmilitaryleadersacceptasnecessarycollateraldamageinthepursuitoftheiraims.In

fact,YemenjustlikePakistanhasbecomeatesnggroundforrevoluonarynewmethodsofwarfare,notonlytechnically,butalsopolicallyandlegally.

Suay


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MAp o U.s. AIr sTrIkesIn YeMen

Sites of the attacks documented by Alkarama between 2009 and 2013



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1.1 plitical ovviw

TheRepublicofYemenwascreatedon15May1990whenthePeoplesDemocracRepublicofYemen(SouthYemen)andtheArabRepublicofYemen(NorthYemen)wereunited.AerthefalloftheOomanEmpirein1918,theNorthofthecountry,whichbecameanImamateandthenaRepublic,fellundertheinuenceofSaudiArabia.TheSouth, as a Brish protectorate, didnotgain its independence unl 1967,aer whichthe Marxist-leaning

governmentofthisnewlyindependentstateallieditselfwiththeSovietUnion.Thedicultrelaonsandregularconictbetweenthenorthandsouthofthecountry,whichpersisttothisday,cannothoweverbereducedsimplytoanideologicalopposionorevenaColdWarlegacy,althoughthislegacyhascertainlyleanimportantmarkontherelaons.

Thereunicaonprocess,startedin1990,cametoahaltascivilwarerupted,triggeredbytheleadersofSouthYemen.Theconictlastedfrom5Mayto7July1994andnishedbyconrmingtheruleoftheNortherngovern-mentbasedinSanaaoverthewholecountry.Sincetheendofthisinternalconict,thestrategicimportanceofthecountryhasconnuedduetoitsgeographiclocaonbetweenthetwoheavyweightsoftheregion:SaudiArabia,whichseesYemenaswithinitssphereofinuence,andIran,whichfeelsthreatenedbymilitaryencirclementbytheUnitedStatesanditsallies.

InYemen,stateinstuonsaresuperimposedontribalstructures,whichremainvery inuenalandsomemescontradicttheinterestsof thestate.These instuonsmust thereforeconstantlynegoatetheir inuencewiththedierenttribal,religious,andpolical(notablyIslamist)actorsthatmakeupYemenisociety,unabletoalwaysdominatethem,astheinstuonsarethemselveswroughtwiththesamecontradicons.Themostinuenalopposionpares,al-IslahandtheSocialistPartywhichhavebeen,organizedsince2000intotheCommonForum,competewiththeGeneralPeoplesCongress(GPC),chairedbyformerPresidentAliAbdallahSaleh,buttheyarealsotheproductofthesesameconictsandareoenforcedtomakealliancesthatatmesseemcounterintuive.Itisacomplexsystemthatisconstantlyinux,inwhichcronyismandcorruponplaybotharegulangandanimmobiliz-ingrole.TheregimeofAliAbdallahSalehstrengtheneditsauthoritariancharacteraerthecivilwarandwouldnothavebeenabletomaintainitspowerforoverthreedecadeswithoutasolidcontrolofthesecurityservices.Eventoday,thetransionalstateremainsstronglyundertheinuenceoftheauthoritarianismlegacylebytheoustedpresidentandhisfamilyin2012.Theprecariouspolicalbalanceofthecountryhasbeenlargelydisruptedbythe

UnitedStatesredenionofregionalpolicyfollowingtheaacksof11September2011.

ThepopularuprisingthatshookmanycountriesintheArabworldquicklyreachedYemenatthebeginningof2011.YemeniyouthseekingchangeandpolicalparcipaonandinspiredbytheregionalprotestmovementstooktothestreetsanddemandedtheresignaonofPresidentAliAbdallahSaleh.Astheweekswentby,agrowingnumberofpolicalparesandtribessupportedthesedemands.

Aer monthsofdemonstraonsandnon-violentprotestsorganizedthroughoutthecountryand suppressedbyforce,acompromisewasnallyreached.PresidentSalehacceptedtheproposionoftheGulfCooperaonCouncil:hewouldstepdownoncondionthathewouldbegrantedimmunityfromprosecuonandthatthesystemhehadestablishedduringhis33-yearreignwouldstayinplace.HisfamilyretainscontroloverallbranchesofthesecurityservicesandheremainsincontroloftheGeneralPeoplesCongress,whichcontrolshalfoftheministriesinthenew

governmentofNaonalUnity.On21February2012,VicePresidentAbdRabMansoural-Hadipresentedhimselfasthesolepresidenalcandidateandwaselectedtoatransionaltermoftwoyears.InSeptember2012heredseveralseniorocialsofthesecurityserviceswhowereconsideredclosetoSaleh,butmanytransionalmeasuresremainunresolved,includingtheoutcomeofthenaonaldialogue,thedraingofanewConstuon,thereor-ganisaonofthearmy,andtherevivaloftheeconomy.1Manyacvistsfeelasiftheirrevoluonwashijackedandthatanewdynamicmustbesetinmoon.Groupsrelatedtoal-Qaedahavetakenadvantageoftheinsurreconaryclimateandhaveoccupiedlargeterritoriesofthesouthofthecountryforclosetoayear.

ThetransionalagreementsignedinNovember2011includedanaonaldialoguebetweenpartyandtriballeadersrepresenngallsegmentsofYemenisociety.Thisdialogue,whichbeganinMarch2013,ismeanttodecideanagendaforthedraingofanewConstuonandtheholdingofeleconsinFebruary2014.Despitefacingmany

1) AprilLongleyAlley, Triagefora fracturingYemen, ForeignPolicy, October 31, 2012,hp://mideast.foreignpolicy.com/posts/2012/10/31/triage_for_a_fracturing_yemen(accessed28July2013).



A suggg y

obstacles,thedialoguehasbroughttogetherover500delegatesandwassllongoinginJuly2013.

1.2 A tugglig cmy

Yemenfacesmanyseriousdiculesontheeconomicfront.Itlackssucientagriculturalland,especiallybecauseathirdofarablelandisdedicatedtotheculvaonofQat.2Hydrocarbonresources,whichprovideessenalnancial

relief, are indecline,unemployment ishigh,and close to35% ofthe populaon livesbelow the poverty line.Successiveinternalcriseshaveaggravatedthesituaon,parcularlyduetotheinternaldisplacementofthousandsofpeopleinthenorthandthesouthofthecountry.TheGulfcountriesalsoregularlyexpelYemenisthatworkintheircountries.Inthespringof2013,SaudiArabiadecidedtoexpelallillegals,aeuphemismforallthosewhodonotworkforasponsor.OnemillionYemenisthatremitcloseto$4billiondollarstotheirhomecountry 3couldbeaectedbytheseexpulsions.

Inthe1990s,theIMFimposedaStructuralAdjustmentProgramthatrequiredtheprivasaonofpublicenter-prises,areduconinpublicsectorjobs,andtheloweringofsubsidiesandtaris,measuresthathaveworsenedthesocioeconomicsituaonofmostYemenis.In 2002,theIMFandtheWorldBankgaveYemen$300millionatadonorsconferencethatgranted$2.3billioninaid. 4Inreturn,thegovernmentwasrequiredtoaccelerateitsreforms.InJuly2005,thegovernmentadoptedseveraleconomicmeasuresthatcreatedsignicantopposioninthepopulaon,includingthereduconofsubsidiesforpetroleumproducts,whichresultedinadoublingoffuelpricesandsparkedriots.

Theuprisingsof2011thatlastedmorethanayearledtoprofounddisruponsinanalreadyweakeconomy,withafallofGDPof-10.5%in2011and-0.5%in2012,rampantinaon(17.1%in2012),andadecitinthebalanceofpaymentsequivalentto10.2%ofGDPin2012. 5Yemenseconomyislargelydependentonexternalnancing.AtthedonorsconferenceinSeptember2012,$7.9billionwaspledged,ofwhich$2billionhasbeenallocatedtodate.ThenextdonorconferenceinSeptember2013shouldfacilitatethedeliveryoftheremainderonthecondionthatthegovernmentcommitsmorermlytopolicalandeconomicreforms,especiallythecreaonofjobsintheprivatesector.Sincethespringof2013,asmallbutposivechangetookplace:inaonhasbeenbroughtundercontrolandforeigncurrencyreserveshavebeguntoincrease,signallingthebeginningofeconomicrecovery. 6Improvementsin

thelivesofmillionsofYemenicizenscanbeachievediftargetediniavesintheareasofeducaon,health,andsocialservicescanbelaunched.Therststep,however,istheestablishmentofanaonalagreementthatallowsfor

advancesinboththepolicalandeconomicelds.

1.3 A wa tat acig tg callg

Yemensinternalconicts,aswellasotherfactorssuchastheauthoritariannatureofthegovernment,poverty,andsocialstructures,havehadanundeniableeectontheradicalisaonofcertainelementsofYemenisociety.TheAmericanandSaudiintervenonsinYemenhavestrengthenedinrecentyearsduetothestrategicposionofthecountry,especiallyintheGulfofAden,throughwhichalargepartoftheinternaonalpetroleumsupplypasses.

Severalpolicallymovatedconictshaveshakenthecountryforyearswithoutanylong-termsoluonsbeing

foundforthem.TheHouthirebellionthatbeganinthe2000sintheNorthofthecountryhaslongbeenrepressedwithairstrikesandmassarrests.Thestatehasnotrespectedthedierentpeaceagreementsthatwerereachedovertheyears.Between2004and2010,sixwars(astheyareknowninYemen)havebeencarriedoutagainstthe

2)AplantwhoseleavesarefrequentlychewedbyYemenisfortheirhallucinogenicandsmulanteects.

3)RadioFranceInternaonal,DestravailleursymnitesexpulssdArabiesaoudite(YemeniworksexpelledbySaudiArabia),3April2013,hp://www.r.fr/moyen-orient/20130403-travailleurs-yemenites-expulses-arabie-saoudite(accessed28July2013).

4)EuropeanCommunity,Yemen,EuropeanCommunityStrategypaperfortheperiod2007-2013,p.21,hp://ec.europa.eu/external_rela-ons/yemen/csp/07_13_fr.pdf,(accessed28July2013).

5)IMF,ArabCountriesinTransion:EconomicOutlookandKeyChallenges,12October2012,p.16,hp://www.imf.org/external/np/country/

notes/yemen.htm(accessed28July2013).

6)WaelZakout,LepointsurlatransionauYmen(ThepointonthetransioninYemen),WorldBank,20June2013,hp://menablog.ban-quemondiale.org/le-point-sur-le-yemen(accessed28July2013).



idu

movement,whichseeksafairerdistribuonofwealthandgreaterpolicalparcipaon.Overtheyears,aconfes-sionalelementhasemergedintheconict,astheHouthisbelongtoabranchofShiismknownastheZaidiyyahsect.

Peacefulprotestshaveregularlybeenorganizedinthesouthofthecountryforyearstodenounceeconomicandsocialinequaliesbetweenthetwopartsofthecountry,aswellastheauthoritarianismofthecentralgovern-

ment.Theseprotestshaveoenbeenbloodilyrepressed.Inthefaceofrepression,severalpolicalgroupshavedemandedsecession.

Itisinthisexplosivecontextthatal-QaedaintheArabianPeninsula(AQAP)wascreatedin2009.Inthewakeoftherevoluonarymovementthatbeganinearly2011,armedgroupslinkedtoal-Qaedaoccupiedlargeswathesofthesouth.Clasheswiththestateweresoviolentthatseveraltownsweredestroyedandempedofinhabitants.TherevoltwascrushedbytheintervenonofSaudiArabiaandtheUnitedStates,whosupportedtheYemeniairforcebycarryingoutdronestrikes.

OneofthekeycharacteriscsofYemenipolicsistheabilitytointegratethevariouspolical,social,andreligiouscomponentsofsocietyintothestateapparatus.Themajordierencesbetweenthesecomponentsremainedunre-solved,buttheveryrealriskthatthisdelicatebalanceofpowerimplodeshasalwaysbeenavertedusingnegoa-on,co-optaon,andclientelism.Militaryclasheshaveneverthelessoccurred,butgrowingforeigninterferencein

internalaairs,especiallyfromtheUnitedStates7,hasledtoanexacerbaonandmilitarisaonofconictsinthesecondhalfofthe2000s.

InclashesinbothNorthandSouthYemen,themanagementofconictsbythecentralauthorieshasbeennothingbutrepressive.LaurentBonnefoy,aspecialistonYemen,states:Infact,theobsessionwithsecurity,imposedbythedominantdiscourse,constutestheprincipalsourceofinstability.ThepriorityaccordedtoWesternsecurityattheexpenseoftheYemeniswillprovetobealong-termmiscalculaon. 8Theseprophecwords,whichwerewrienin2006,fellshortofthesubsequentdevelopments:theintervenonofforeignpowerswhichhad,withfewexcepons,remainedindirecttothatpointhasintensiedtosuchanextentthatithasdeterminedthecourseofeventsinrecentyears.

7)Forexample,thesgmasaonoftheal-IslahpartysincethegovernmentcommiedtoghngterrorismalongsidetheUnitedStatesinthe1990sbyexcludingitfromthedecision-makingstructuresdespitethefactthatitrepresentsalargepartofthepopulaon.ThisledtotheconcentraonofpowerinthehandsofthePresidentandhispartybutalsoledtonegoaonsbetweentheopposionpares,whichcreatedtheJointForumin2002.Thisforumpresentedacommoncandidateinthe2006presidenalelecons.

8)LaurentBonnefoy,Entrepressionsextrieuresettensionsinternes,unquilibreinstableauYmen(Betweenexternalpressuresandinter-naltensions,anunstableequilibriuminYemen),October2006,hp://www.monde-diplomaque.fr/2006/10/BONNEFOY/14054(accessed28July2013).



2.1 ealy 2000: T Jiadit mvmt i dcli

Fromthemid-1980sonwards,ghtersfromaroundtheArabworldjoinedthewaragainsttheSovietoccupaonofAfghanistan.Duringthisperiod,theYemeniauthoriesrecruitedvolunteersandassistedtheminreachingthefrontlines.ThisocialgovernmentposiontowardsthejihadinAfghanistancorrespondedwiththatofIslamistswhowereanintegralpartofmanysectorsofthestateinstuonssuchasthepolice,thearmy,theadministraon,

andtheeducaonsystem.ThiscommitmentbytheYemenigovernmenttotheAfghansstrugglewassupportedbylargepartsofthepopulaon,andallowedthemobilizaonoftheformercombatantsofAfghanistanaspartofthecivilwarof1994.Thisco-optaonofjihadistsavoidedconfrontaonwiththereturning,welltrainedghterswhoverywellcouldhaverebelledagainstthecentralgovernment.Thejihadists,however,didnottargetthestate,which,toacertainextent,sharedtheircricismsoftheUnitedStateswhichmanyoftheghtersnowexpressed,havingturnedagainsttheUSfollowingthewithdrawaloftheSoviets.TheviolentactswhichwerecommiedbyarmedgroupsinYementhereforetargetedforeigners,eithermilitaryortourists.9

ThisdelicatebalancebegantocrumbleaertheSeptember2001aacksontheUnitedStates.TheYemeniauthori-esralliedtotheAmericanposionintheglobalwaronterror,thoughnotforgengtoappeasecertainsegmentsoftheIslamistmovementinthecountry,toopowerfulandessenaltothecentralgovernment.TheAmericangov-ernmentcricizedYemeniauthoriesfornottakingmeasurestopreventSheikhAbdelmajidal-Zindanifromtravel-

lingandfreezinghisassets,amovethatissupportedbyUNsancons.10Al-Zindaniisawell-knownreligiousgureinthecountryandthepresidentofal-ImanUniversityinSanaa.TheUnitedStateshasneverbeenabletoprovetheaccusaonthathenancesterrorism,whichisthebasisfortheUNsancons.AmericanocialsbelievedtherewerecloselinksbetweenthoseresponsiblefortheaacksontheUSSColein2000(seeinfra,3.2)andtheaacksof11September2001,andtheytendedtoexaggeratetheimportanceofal-QaedainYemen.SomemeasuresweretakenbytheYemeniauthoriestocombatterrorismsuchastheexpulsionofforeignstudentsandimprisonmentofdozensofmilitants,buttheYemeniauthoriesdidnot,atthatme,believethattherewasanal-Qaedaorganiza-oninYemen.Thiswasnotcompletelyfalse,astheremayhavebeenvariousarmedgroupsacveinthecountrythatwerecomposedinpartbyAfghanistanveterans,andwhoundoubtedlyhavepolicalanitytoal-Qaeda,buttheyconsideredthemselvestobeautonomousanddidnotclaimanylinkstotheorganisaon.

Therebegantobewidespreadpublicoutcryagainstthearbitraryandprolongeddetenonofthesemenimprisoned

withoutconcreteevidenceorcriminalcharges.SincetheycouldnotbefreedwithoutaracngthecricismoftheUnitedStates,JudgeHamudal-HitardevelopedarehabilitaonprogrammetosasfythedemandsofboththepopulaonandtheAmericanadministraon.On11November2002,therstgrouppassedthroughtheRehabprogramme(36of104prisoners)andwasreleased. 11Severalweregivennancialaidandotherswereeveninte-gratedintomilitarystructuresinexchangeforanendtotheirmilitantacvies.Asthisprogrammewasunabletotransformtheideologicaloutlookofthedetainees,whowereoennotevenoperaonalelementsofanyarmedgroup,a sortoftacitnon-aggressionpactbetweenthegovernmentandthemilitantswaselaborated.Prisonersdidnothavetodisavowviolentjihad;theysimplyhadtopromisenottocommitaacksinYemen.12Severalwavesofreleasetookplace.On16November2003,92suspectedmembersofal-QaedaandtheAden-Abyanarmywerereleased,whiletheUnitedStatesapparentlyopposedthereleaseof150menonthelist.13On20November2004,112religiousextremists,formeral-Qaedasympathizers,werereleasedaerhavinggonethroughJudgeHamud

alHitarsprogramme14

.Then,on27May2006,securityforcesfreed315mensuspectedofbelongingtoal-Qaeda,

9)LaurentBonnefoy,Unebrvehistoiredelaviolenceditejihadiste(Abriefhistoryofso-calledjihadistviolence),inLaurentBonnefoy,FranckMermierandMarinePoirier:Ymen,letournantrvoluonnaire(Yemen,arevoluonaryturningpoint),CEFAS-Karthala,2012,p.93-113.

10)UnitedStatesDepartmentofStatePublicaonOceoftheCoordinatorforCounterterrorism,CountryReportsonTerrorism2007,April2008,hp://www.state.gov/documents/organizaon/105904.pdf,p.131(accessed28July2013).

11)GregoryD.Johnsen,ThelastRefuge,Yemen,AlQaeda,andAmericaswarinArabia,W.W.Norton&Company,2012,Chapter10,Rehab,(electronicbookwithoutpagenumbers).

12)GregoryD.Johnsen,ThelastRefuge,Yemen[],Chapter10,Rehab,op.cit.

13)MarcDugas,ChronologieduYmen2003(YemensChronology,2003),Chroniquesymnites(YemeniChronicles),30December2003,

hp://cy.revues.org/152,(accessed28July2013).

14)LaurentBonnefoyandNablSubay,ChronologieduYmen2004(YemensChronology,2004),Chroniquesymnites(YemeniChroni-cles),hp://cy.revues.org/191,(accessed28July2013).

2. Al-Qada Ym



lackingsucientevidencetoimplicatetheminanyterroristacts.15

Accordingtoanumberofobservers,theacvejihadistmovementwhetheronecallsital-Qaedaornothadbeenreducedtoitsmostbasicincarnaonasof2004.16Infact,intheyearsbeforeitsdismemberment,itconsistedofnomorethanafewdozenghters(aswellasa fewhundredsupporters)andtheeliminaonofa leaderofagroupgenerallyledtothedisintegraonofthegroupitself,asdemonstratedbythedeathofal-Harithiandthe

exnconofhisIslamicArmyofAden-Abyan.ThepolicyofPresidentSalehseemedtopayo:themixofintegra-on,imprisonment,andphysicaleliminaons,hadensuredthatnoaacktookplaceinYemensincetheaackontheoiltankerLimburginOctober2002,theassassinaonofthesocialistleaderJarallahUmarlaterthatyear,andtheaackonahospitalrunbyAmericanBapststhatkilledfourpeopleinDecember.WheninAprilandMay2005threatsweremadeagainstseveral foreignestablishmentsin Sanaa,theauthoriesmade everyeortto arrestthoseresponsible.From2004on,themainpriorityofPresidentSalehaswellashisSaudineighbourswastheHouthirebellionintheNorth.

TheUSgovernmentcertainlydidnotappreciatethestrategyofleniencyadoptedbytheYemenigovernment,andina2007reportonterrorismstatedthatdespiteAmericanpressure,Yemenconnuedtoimplementasurrenderprogramwithlenientrequirementsforterroristsitcouldnotapprehend,whichoenledtotheirrelavelylaxincarceraon.17TheDepartmentofStatealsocricizesthefactthatGuantanamodetainees,uponreturntoYemen,

werereleasedaerashortperiodofevaluaonandrehabilitaoninaprogrammelackingstrictmeasuresofcontrol.

2.2 2006-2009: Tiggig t dwwad ial vilc

However, a succession of events was to lead to a renewed mobilisaon followed by a radicalisaon of manymilitants,includingtheassassinaonofal-Harithi(seebelow);theincarceraonofalargenumberofYemenisintheprisoncampatGuantanamoBay18;thearrestandprosecuonoftheverypopularSheikhMuhammedAliHassanal-MuayyadviewedasthevicmofaconspiracyintheUnitedStates 19;ortheextrajudicialexecuoninOctober2006ofFawwazal-Rabiioneoftheleadersofal-QaedainYemenwhohadgivenhimselfuptoauthories.Incertaincircles,theYemenigovernmentwasincreasinglycricizedasbeingonthepayrolloftheUnitedStates.Theaacksbymilitantsthusbegantotargettouristandeconomiclocaons,aimingtoweakenthecentralgovernment.

Newarmed militantcells cameinto being, especiallyfollowing thespectacular escapeof 26 inmatesfrom thePolicalSecuritycentralprisoninSanaainFebruary200620,includingNasseral-Wuhayshi,theformerpersonalsecretarytoOsamabinLadenwhohadedAfghanistanviaIran,wherehewasarrestandextraditedtoYemenin2003.HewasaccompaniedbyQasimal-Raymi,aformerleaderinatrainingcampinAfghanistan,andFawwazal-Rabii,whowouldbekilledfollowingtheescape.Furthermore,severalnotoriousjihadistswerereleasedbytheYemeniauthories,suchastheleaderofanarmedgroup,AliAlawial-Ahmar,alongwith16ofhisgroupsmembers.21Meanwhile,YemenightersheldinIraqwereextraditedbacktoSanaa,andothermilitantswerefreedfromSaudiprisons.Themajorityoftheseghtersdidnotrenouncearmedjihad,buttheydidnotnecessarilysharethesameideologies.AccordingtoGregoryD.Johnsen,thosethatfoughtinIraqcalledforthedefenceofMuslimlandsagainstforeigninvasion,butYemenhadnotbeeninvadedbyWesterntroops,sotheydidnotcallforresumingtheirarmedstrugglethere.Al-Wuhayshi,ontheotherhand,arguedthat,sincetheaacksof11September2001,theYemeni

15)GuilhemRoger,ChronologiedesvnementsauYmenen2006(ChronologyofEventsinYemenin2006),Chroniquesymnites(Ye-meniChronicles),18March2009,hp://cy.revues.org/1503(accessed28July2013).

16)GregoryD.Johnsen,ThelastRefuge,Yemen,AlQaeda,andAmericaswarinArabia,W.W.Norton&Company,2012,Chapter10,Rehab.

17)UnitedStatesDepartmentofStatePublicaonOceoftheCoordinatorforCounterterrorism,CountryReportsonTerrorism2007,April2008,hp://www.state.gov/documents/organizaon/105904.pdf,p.129(accessed28July2013).

18)InthemonthofApril2006,theMinisterofJusceconrmedthat137YemeniswereimprisonedatGuantanamoalthoughtheUnitedStatesputthisnumberat108.GuilhemRoger,ChronologiedesvnementsauYmenen2006(ChronologyofEventsinYemenin2006),Chroniquesymnites(YemeniChronicles),18March2009,hp://cy.revues.org/1503(accessed28July2013).

19)MuhammedAliHassanal-MuayyadwasarrestedinGermanyattherequestoftheUnitedStateson10January2003.Hewasidenedasanimportantmemberofal-Qaedaandanancerofinternaonalterrorismalthoughthesechargeswereneversubstanated.Sentencedto75yearsinprison,hewasnallyfreedaersevenyearsindetenon.

20)AmongtheseescapeeswereJamalal-Badawi,andAmericannaonal,Jabiral-Banna,twooftheFBIsmostsought-aerterrorists.

21)GuilhemRoger,ChronologiedesvnementsauYmenen2006(ChronologyofEventsinYemenin2006),op.cit.

2006-2009: tggg h dwwad spa v



governmenthadsubmiedtothewilloftheUnitedStatesandthattheUSismoreandmorepresentinthecountrymakingYemenalegimatebalegroundforjihad.Hemanagedtoconvinceanincreasingnumberofghterswiththesearguments.22

Theninearly2007,hebegantoreorganizethejihadistmovementandcreatedTheBrigadeofYemeniSoldiers(kataibjoundal-Yemen).Between2006and2008,armedgroupsprimarilytargetedforeignintereststourists,

embassies,andpetrolfacilieswhiletheirrhetoricgrewincreasinglyradicaltowardstheYemeniregimeanditscooperaonwithWesternpowers.On2July2007inMarib,eightSpanishtouristswerekilledinasuicidecarbombaack.Al-QaedainYemenclaimedresponsibilityfortheaack,andnumeroussuspectswerequicklyarrested.In2008,severalaackswerelaunched,illustrangtherevitalisaonofarmedgroupsunderdierentnames:IslamicJihadinYementookresponsibilityforanaackagainsttheUnitedStatesembassyinSanaaon17September2008,which,thoughitfailedtohittheembassy,nonethelesscausedthedeathofsome16people.SeveralobserversbelievethatthesuicidebombwhichtargetedtheheadquartersofthesecurityforcesinSeyouninal-WadiHadramautinJuly2008markedashiinstrategybythearmedgroups,whichhadunlthispointonlytargetedocersconsideredtobecollaboratorswiththeUnitedStatesortorturers,butnotdirectlytargetedthestate.23

Finally,in January2009,an announcementwasmadethatal-QaedaintheArabianPeninsula(AQAP)hadbeencreatedandwascomposedoftwoSaudiandtwoYemenisurvivorsofthespectacularprisonbreakin2006,including

Nasseral-Wuhayshi.Sincethatme,aacksagainstthestateconnuedtomulply,thoughthisdidnotmeananendtoaacksonforeigners.On15March2009inShibam,agroupofSouthKoreanswereaacked,leavingfourofthemdead.Justthreedayslater,aSouthKoreancommissionarrivedtoinvesgatethecircumstancesoftheassault,andittoowasaacked.Severalotheroperaonswerelaunched,andthoughsomefailed,notablytheaackagainsttheightfromAmsterdamtoDetroit(USA)on25 December2009,theseledtoanincreaseinrepressionaswellasbombingsbytheUnitedStatesmilitaryindierentareasofYemenincludingAbyan,Shabwa,andArhab. 24Thisrepressionservedtofurtherradicalisenumerousmilitantsandpushedthemtojoinal-Qaeda,whileotherswentbythedozentoghtinIraq.

In2009,theoperaonsofarmedgroupsbegantomovefromtheregionofMaribtoAbyanandShabwa.TheseprovincesofsouthYemenhad,since2007,seenregulardemonstraonsorganizedtoprotestagainstthecentralgovernmentwhichtheyaccusedofneglecngtheregionsoftheformerSocialistRepublicofYemen.ThisSouthern

movement,knownasal-Hirak,waspeacefulinitsorigins,butconfrontaonswithsecurityforcesradicalizedmanyofitsacvistswho,beginningin 2009,begantotargetpeoplefromtheNorthaswellasthesecurityforces.25Insomeplaces,thepresenceofthestatewasbecomingincreasinglylight,andpoliceabandonedtheirpostsforfearofaacks.Eventhoughtheal-Hirakmovementconnuedtoadvocatenon-violence,aacksbyarmedgroupstintotheincreasinglygeneralclimateofrebellion.InMay2009,al-WuhayshigoesasfarastoannouncehissupportfortheSouthernmovement,contribungtoarapidmodicaonbytheauthoriesoftheiratudestowardsthejihadists.Unlthen,thecentralgovernmenthadnotconsideredthesegroupstobeaseriousthreat,unliketheSouthernorHouthirebellions.The laertwowerestrongsocio-policalmovementswiththepotenaltoresistthecentralpowersintwostrategicallyimportantregions. 26DierentleadersoftheSouthernopposionhoweverrapidlyexpressedtheirdistancefromal-Qaedaandrejectedanyrelaonwiththem.

As2009drewtoaclose,veryrealfearsofabreakupofthecountrywerevoicedfromvariousquarters.TheUnited

22)GregoryD.Johnsen,ThelastRefuge,op.cit.Chapter15.

23)StephenW.Day,RegionalismandRebellioninYemen,CambridgeUniversityPress,2012,Chapter8:TheReturnofYemeniRegionalism,secon:Aviolentyear.Seealso:LaurentBonnefoy,Unebrvehistoiredelaviolenceditejihadiste(Abriefhistoryofso-calledjihadistvio-lence),inLaurentBonnefoy,FranckMermierandMarinePoirier:Ymen,letournantrvoluonnaire(Yemen,arevoluonaryturningpoint),CEFAS-Karthala,2012,p.106.

24)AccordingtoacablefromtheUSembassyon21December2009,theAmericanmilitarycarriedout17aacks,amongthemtheaackonAl-Majalah,whichwediscussbelow.TheYemeniauthorieshavetriedtoconcealthisbytakingresponsibilityforaacks.See:TheGuardian,USembassycables:Yementrumpetsstrikesonal-QaidathatwereAmericanswork,4December2010,hp://www.guardian.co.uk/world/us-embassy-cables-documents/240955(accessed28July2013).

25)StephenW.Day,RegionalismandRebellioninYemen,CambridgeUniversityPress,2012,Chapter8:TheReturnofYemeniRegionalism,

secon:Lookingintotheabyss.

26)StephenW.Day,RegionalismandRebellioninYemen,CambridgeUniversityPress,2012,Chapter8:TheReturnofYemeniRegionalism,secon:Lookingintotheabyss.

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States,itsallies,andthestatesoftheArabLeagueconnuedtosupportthehighlycontestedAliAbdallahSalehtopreservetheterritorialintegrityofYemen,butalsotoensuretheconnuaonofthewaronterror.ItwasinthiscontextthattheaackontheFortHoodmilitarybaseinTexastookplaceon5November2009,killingthirteenandinjuringdozensofothers.ThemilitarypsychiatristMalikNadalHasan,whowasresponsiblefortheaack,wassaidtobeinrelaonswithAnwaral-Awlaqi,anAmerican-YemeniclericlivinginYemen.27ThiseventledtohysteriawithintheUnitedStatespolicalestablishmentandservedasjuscaonfortherstdroneaacks(withtheexcepon

oftheonethathadkilledal-Harithiandhiscompanionsthreeyearsearlier).When,lessthantwomonthslater,anaackontheUScityofDetroitwasuncoveredandfoiled,callsforanactualmilitaryinvasionofYemenweremade.

2.3 2010: stat dcay lad t icad activiti amd gu

As2010opened,awarlikeclimatehungovertheUnitedStateswithregardstoYemen.EversincetheBrishPrimeMinisterGordonBrownannouncedtheorganizaonofaconferenceinFebruaryinLondontodiscussthesecuritysituaoninYemen,rumoursthattheWestwasplanningamilitaryinvasionabounded,conrmedbythewordsofUSSenatorJosephLieberman,whospokeofYemenasAmericasnextwar.Herepeatedthesewordsseveralmesinthefollowingmonth,whichwasnotreassuringtoYemenis. 28InJanuary,nearly150leadersrepresenngthetribalandreligiousestablishmentsinYemenmetinSanaaforapublicconference,andpublishedadeclaraononthe

14thofthemonthinwhichtheythreatenedtocallforjihadifforeigntroopsweresenttothecountry.29

Inlate2009,twoAmericanair-strikes,rston17DecemberinAl-MajalahinAbyanprovincethatkilled54people,includingmanywomenandchildren,andsecondlytheaackof24DecemberonRainShabwaprovincethattargetedthehouseofAnwaral-Awlaqiandkilledthirtypeople,shockedtheYemenipopulaon.Theseaacksresultedinthehardeningofan-governmentandan-Americanatudesinallpolicalcirclesinaddiontothoseofthemilitantsandsupportersofthejihadists.2010wasmarkedbyaresurgenceofviolence,asmuchbyarmed

jihadistgroupswithsuspectedestoal-QaedaasbytheYemeniarmedforces.AsremarkedbyLaurentBonnefoy:Theadoponbyjihadistacvistsofguerrillataccsthroughtheuseofambushesagainstarmyconvoysorraidsonocialbuildingsispartofalargerconnuumofrepression,armedconict,andotherviolence:sectarian,social,andregionalsgmas,arbitrarydetenon,torture,militaryoperaons,aacksonfreedomofmovement,etc.30

AmericanarmedforcesintervenedmoreandmorefrequentlyinYemeniterritory.Accordingtothepress,between17December2009and31January2010,morethan20groundraidstookplace,butincreasinglydroneswerebeingused.31

Giventheclimateof insurrecon,armedghtersclaimingtobelongto al-Qaedamanagedto takepossessionofseveralareasinthesouthofthecountry.Between19and25August2010,amilitaryoensivewaslaunchedagainstthetownofLawdarinAbyanprovince,hometo80,000inhabitants.TheYemeniarmyforcedtheresidentstoeebeforebombardingthetownandconfronngtheghters.32

On20September2010,thetownofHuwainShabwaprovincewasoverrunbyarmedgroups,atthesamemeJohnBrennan,senioradvisortoPresidentBarackObamaforHomelandSecurityandtheghtagainstterrorism,andthecurrentDirectoroftheCIA,wasvisingYementodiscusscooperaonbetweentheUSandYemenintheghtagainstterrorism.Aerfourdaysofsiegeandtheightof15,000inhabitants,thearmyregainedcontrolofthecity,

27)SudarsanRaghavanandMichaelD.Shear,US-aidedaackinYementhoughttohavekilledAulaqi,2al-Qaedaleaders,TheWashingtonPost,25December2009, hp://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/arcle/2009/12/24/AR2009122400536.html(accessed28 July2013).

28)SamStein,Lieberman:TheUnitedStatesMustPre-EmpvelyActInYemen,18March2010,hp://www.hungtonpost.com/2009/12/27/lieberman-the-united-stat_n_404241.html(accessed28July2013).

29)StephenW.Day,RegionalismandRebellioninYemen,CambridgeUniversityPress,2012,Chapter9:YemensPolicalMeltdown,secon:TheinterseconofAmericanandYemeniinterests.

30)LaurentBonnefoy,Unebrvehistoiredelaviolenceditejihadiste(Abriefhistoryofso-calledjihadistviolence),op.cit.,p.106.

31

)JeremyScahill,TheDangerousUSGameinYemen,30March2011,hp://www.thenaon.com/arcle/159578/dangerous-us-game-yemen?page=0,2(accessed28July2013).

32)Fawazal-Haidari,Yemenarmyregainscontrolofsoutherntown,AFP,25August2010,hp://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/ar-cle/ALeqM5jaSuALY9MdZ5WSyhaw8CmEBh4DTw(accessed28July2013).

2010: Sa day ads asd avs ad gups



withoutaveryhighdeathtoll.33

Thesepreliminaryaacksbygroupslinkedtoal-QaedawereonlythepreludetoanoensivethatbeganseveralmonthslaterintheprovinceofAbyanwheretheywereabletooccupya largepartoftheregionforayear.Thisunstablesituaonwasnotonlyduetoal-Qaedaanditsaliates:itwasalsotheconsequenceofclashesbetweenregimeforcesandopposiongroupsinboththenorthandsouth,leavingthespaceforgroupslinkedtoal-Qaeda

toopenanewfront.ItisworthrememberingthatthejihadistmovementhadnearlybeeneliminatedaertheaacksofSeptember2001andthatthefewacvemembersremaininghaddicultyndingsympathizerswithinthepopulaon.

Embroiledinanarmedconictinthenorthandconfronngagrowinginsurgencyinthesouth,theregimeusedthethreatofal-QaedatoreceivemilitaryaidfromWashington.BoththeYemeniregimeandtheAmericanadministra-onexaggeratedtheimportanceofthisthreattojusfythemilitarisaonoftheconictandtheintervenonoftheUnitedStates.SeveralobserversspeculatedthatthedeploymentofarmedIslamistgroupswassupportedbytheregimeinSanaaitself,inordertomaintainAmericansupportintheghtagainstterrorism.Whateverthetruthmaybe,itisundeniablethatrepressionandthedirectintervenonoftheUnitedStatesinYemensinternalconictshavecontributedtothereinvigorangofal-QaedainYemen.

2.4 2011: T dlymt Aa al-saia i t adw t Aabsig

In2010,al-QaedasaacksontheYemeniarmedforcesmulplied,especiallyagainstmilitarybases,checkpoints,andarmypersonnel.InJanuary2011,theorganizaontookresponsibilityfor49operaonsinthesecondhalfof2010.34Theyear2011beganwiththeassassinaonsofseveraltopocersintheYemeniarmyinthesouthernprovinces,inparcularinAbyanandShabwa,controlledbygroupsedtoal-Qaeda.TheconfrontaonsinLawdarandZinjibareventuallyreachedtheformercapitalofSouthYemen,Aden,inMay2011aswellastheneighbouringprovincesofMaribandal-Baydha.

While the southern provinces were experiencing a slow disintegraon of state instuons, a revoluonarymovementwasspreadingthroughoutthecountryinJanuary2011inthewakeoftheuprisingsinTunisiaandEgypt,

furtherdeepeninganinstuonalvacuumandgivingarmedgroupstheopportunitytooccupywholeareasofthesouth.Anwaral-Awlaqi,oneofthemostwantedmenonUSlistsandwhowassubsequentlykilledbyadronestrikeinSeptember2011,declared:TheArabrevoluonshavegivenIslamicgroupsthechancetobreatheandhavetheirvoicesheard.35Thespreadingoccupaonoflandbyarmedgroupswasalsofacilitatedbythepolicalcrisisintheupperechelonsofthestatethatsparkeddivisionswithinarmyunitsthemselves.36

AlthoughthecallsforPresidentSalehsresignaonandregimechangewereheardthroughoutYemen,theSouthernal-Hirakmovement,whojoinedthesecalls,increasinglydemandedindependenceforthesouth.ThisclearbreakfromthecentralgovernmentworkedtotheadvantageoftheIslamistghterswhomanagedtorallyapartofthepopulaontotheircause.TheconnuingclashesbetweenthesegroupsandtheYemeniarmedforcesagainshowedthatthelaerwouldnothesitatetoshellresidenalareas,drivingtensofthousandsofpeoplefromtheirhomes.

Withunprecedentedspeedandwithoutmuchbloodshed,thesearmedgroupsmanagedtotakecontrolofamajorityofthetownsintheprovinceaswellassomeinitsneighbouringprovinces,whichtheycalledTheIslamicEmirates.On24March2011,theyoccupiedthetownofAzzan(Shabwa);on26MarchthecityofJaar(Abyan);thenextdaythetownofalHusn;andon27May2011theytookZinjibar,acoastaltowninAbyanwith20,000inhabitantsthatfellintothehandsofabout300armedmen.Lawdar,atownofcloseto90,000residents,alsocameundertheircontrol.

33) BBC, Up to 15,000 ee oensive in Yemens Shabwa province, 21 September 2010, hp://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-11380625(accessed28July2013).

34) AQAP Announces Responsibility for 49 Aacks in Yemen During 2010, Yemen Post, 1 January 2011, hp://yemenpost.net/De-tail123456789.aspx?ID=3&SubID=2936(accessed28July2013).

35)AmjadKhashafa, ...(FromAzzantoZinjibar,15dayswithAnsaral-Sharia),6December2011,hp://kavkazcenter.com/arab/content/2011/12/06/8677.shtml(accessed28July2013).

36)Al-JazeeraCenterforStudies,:(al-QaedainYemen:Betweenoensivesandreplies),17June2012,hp://studies.aljazeera.net/posionesmate/2012/06/201262493531991735.htm(accessed28July2013).

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Ansaral-Sharia,thegroupwhicharoseasthecentralplayerinthisconquest,ismadeupofapatchworkofdisillu-sionedcombatantsthatbegantheirjihadistcareersinal-Qaeda,aswellasyoungIslamistsdisillusionedbyasystemofneposmandinjuscewhowanttoremaketheirlivesunderthereligiouspreceptsofSalasm.ForeignghtersfromSaudiArabiaandSomaliaaswellasAfghanistanandPakistanarefoundamongtheirranks.Theyarefundedpartlybybankstheyhaverobbed,astheydidinZinjibar,stealing2billionRiyals.Theystealweaponsandvehiclesfromransackedbarracksanddepotsofthearmyandpolice.37

Someofthepopulaonwelcomedthegroupwitha certainapprovalwhileothersfearedthem.IntheWest,thegroupsrigorousconceponofShariaisthemostwidelypublicizedaspectoftheirideology,notablytheuseofcorporalpunishment,therestriconofpersonalfreedoms,andotherreligiousconstraints.ManyreportsbyYemeni

journalists,however,explainthattheseregionshadbeenneglectedandunderservedinthepast,andgangshadter-rorizedinhabitantsandextortedmoneyfromthem. 38Corrupon,racketeering,andinsecurityreignedintheregionspriortothearrivaloftheoccupyinggroups,andcommerceandpublicserviceshadcollapsed.JournalistscitetheexampleofAzzan,where,oneyearaertheoccupaonbyIslamistgroupsbegan,thestreetshadbeencleaned,legalcasesthathadbeenon-goingfor10yearshadbeenclosed,securityhadenabledthemarketstobecomethesecondlargestinShabwa,shopshadreopened,electricitywasavailablemorewidelyandlongerthaneverbefore,andwaterwasgivenforfreetoneedyfamilies,etc.

Fornearlya yearAnsaral-ShariaoccupiedtheterritorybetweenAzzanandZinjibar,nearlyalloftheprovinceofAbyanandthebordercommuniesofShabwaaswellasal-Baydha.Manyobserversquesonedthelackofresis-tancefromsecurityforcesagainstthedisparatearmedgroups.Rumoursaboundedthatthestatewascomplicitinallowingthegroupstooccupytheregion.TheformergovernorofAbyanGeneralSalehHusseinal-Zuwari,whohadwitnessthefalloftheprovinceintothehandsoftheoccupiers,explainedthatthesecurityservicesandthearmyhadstooddownin thefaceofAnsaral-Sharia.CommunicaonbetweenhimandthemilitarywascutobeforeAbyanfell,andthemilitaryhadshowednoresistancetotheadvanceofthearmedgroups.39

SomeintheopposionarguethatPresidentSalehdidnotulizehisfullmilitaryforce,hopingtoshowtheoutsideworldthatheistheonlyhopeinthefaceofthethreatofal-Qaeda.Thearmy,especiallytheSpecialForcesandthecounter-terrorismunits,wereinfactdeployedtoSanaatoprotectthepresidentin thefaceofgrowingpopularprotests.40

2.5 2012: Aa al-saia dildgd, t ula cmmitt bgi tiig

ThecityofZinjibarhadbeen,sinceitsfalltoAnsaral-Sharia,thecentralarenaofconfrontaonsbetweenthearmyandtherebelsandwasthetargetofseveralbombardmentsbytheYemeniairforce.41Thecitysueredsignicantdestruconandthousandsofresidentsed.Hundredsofghtershaddiedonbothsidesoftheconict.Finally,inFebruary2012,the authoriespresentedthearmedgroupsoccupyingtheareawithanulmatum,summoningthemtosurrenderwithinaweek.42Inresponse,themilitantsaackedanarlleryunitstaonedinDufashon4March2012,causingthedeathofahundredsoldiersandinjuringahundredothers.Theghnginotherplacestook

37)2011:al-Qaidadanslapninsulearabe,annedervesetdecauche(2011:al-QaedaintheArabianPeninsula,ayearofdreamsandnightmares),12February2012,p.1,hp://www.shebacss.com/docs/PolicyAnalysis/scssapa003-12.pdf(accessed28July2013).

38)YemenPress,.. ,(AvisittotheIslamicEmirateofAzzan:AnsarShariatakestheplaceofthestatewiththeirlawsandservices)1April2012,hp://yemen-press.com/news7934.html(accessed28July2013).

39) (DangerousrevelaonsbytheGovernorofAbyanconcerningthefallofZinjibarintothehandsofAnsarSharia),15March2013,Yemensaeedhp://www.yemensaeed.com/news/news-local/6264-2013-03-14-23-42-52.html(accessed28July2013).

40)YemenSaeed,:,(al-QaedainYemen:Betweenoensivesandreplies),Al-JazeeraCenterforStudies,17June2012,hp://studies.aljazeera.net/posionesmate/2012/06/201262493531991735.htm(accessed28July2013).

41).. (AvisittotheIslamicEmirateofAzzan:AnsarShariatakestheplaceofthestatewiththeirlawsandservices),YemenPress,1April2012,hp://yemen-press.com/news7934.html(accessed28July2013).

42) ..(Abyan,thearmygivesAnsaral-ShariaoneweektoleaveJaarandZinjibar),YemenPress,28February2012,hp://yemen-press.com/news6827.html(accessed28July2013).

2012: Asa a-Shaa dsdgd, h ppua s bg h g



manylivesand73peopleweretakenhostage.43Clashesextendedtoal-BaydhaandShabwaprovinces.

InApril2012,theauthoriesaemptedtoretaketheareasandbegantoputinplacepopularcommieestoassistthearmyinitsmilitaryoensiveagainsttherebels.TheSaudiArabianandAmericanair forcessupportedtheYemeniarmy.Theassaultbeganon12May2012andbymid-JunetheterritoriesoccupiedbyAnsaral-Shariahadbeenre-taken.Theaackscausedthousandsofinhabitantstoeeonceagain.AccordingtotheOceforthe

CoordinaonofHumanitarianAairs(OCHA)oftheUnitedNaonsinJune2013,closeto90%ofinternallydisplacedpersons(IDPs)havereturnedtotheirplacesoforigin.44YetsourcesonthegroundreportedtoAlkaramathattothisday,largenumbersofrefugeeshavenotreturnedtotheirhomes,largelybecauseofthedestruconofthese.

Thepopularcommiees,earliersupportedbythearmy,havetakencontroloftheareas,butaccordingtotheYemenipressinsecurityandarbitrarinessarewidespread,asthesecommieeshavetakenthelawintotheirownhandsandrevengeisfrequentlycarriedoutagainstthosesuspectedofsupporngtheinsurgents.Summaryexecuons,arrestsanddetenonoutsideanylegalframeworkarewidespread. 45Thedivisionswithinthegovernmentandarmyalsoaectthesemilias,astheytargetlocalocialsoftheadministraonandsoldiersinZinjibarandJaar.FollowingthewithdrawalofthearmyfromAbyanprovince,thepopularcommieesstrengthenedtheirpresence.TheheadofAbyanspopularcommiees,AbdelafSayyid,isadefectorofal-QaedaandAnsaral-Shariathatfoughthiscomradesaerbreakingapartfromthem. 46ThevisitoftheAmericanambassadorGeraldM.FeiersteintoZinjibar,alongsidea

seniorYemeniocial,didliletopacifytheregion47

andinsteadraisedquesonsabouttheroleoftheUnitedStatesintheconict.Tothisday,Yemeniauthorieshavenottakenfullcontroloftheregion,whichissllinthehandsofthepopularcommiees,indeedthecentralgovernmentscontrolovertheregionconnuestobeeroded.

43)Alkaramaplayedanacveroleinthereleaseofthesehostages.SeepressreleaseYemen:Therighttolifeof73soldiersheldbyarmedgroupsafeguarded,Alkarama,1May2012,hp://en.alkarama.org/index.php?opon=com_content&view=arcle&id=924(accessed28July2013).

44) More than 90 pct of internally displaced people in Yemen return home, Xinhua, 11June 2013, hp://www.globalmes.cn/con-tent/788122.shtml(accessed28July2013).

45)(PopularcommieesinAbyanaccusedofextrajudicialexecuons)AdenAlghad,hp://adenal-ghad.net/news/15862/#.UcY6y5yaYRs(accessed28July2013).

46)(PopularcommieesinAbyanaccusedofextrajudicialexecuons)AdenAlghad,hp://aden-alghad.net/news/15862/#.UcY6y5yaYRs(accessed28July2013).

47)(TheAmericanambassadortoSanaaappearsinZinjibar)AdenAlghad,22June2012,hp://adenalghad.net/news/13223/#.UcY8E5yaYRs(accessed28July2013).

A-Qada Y



3.1 1990-2000: A a taid lati

DuringtherstGulfWar(1990-1991),YemendisapprovedofthewaragainstIraqbythecoalionforces,thoughdidnoteitherendorsetheannexaonofKuwait.ItabstainedfromvongonaUNResoluontoauthorizemilitaryintervenonagainstIraq.Inretaliaon,theUnitedStatesputanendtoitseconomicaidtoYemen48,andUSalliessuchasSaudiArabiaanditsneighboursexpelledamillionYemeniworkersfromtheirrespecvecountries.The

marginalizaonofYemenincreaseditsvulnerabilityanditsdependencevis--vistheUnitedStatesandSaudiArabia,whichconsidersYementobeitsbackyard.

MilitarycooperaonbetweentheUnitedStatesandYemengraduallyresumedattheendofthe1990s,inparcularfollowingaacksonAmericanembassiesinDares-SalaamandNairobiin1998.ThisincreasingcollaboraononsecurityissuesincludedUStroopstraininghundredsofpolice;sellingequipmenttoYemen;andaccompanytherestructuringofthesecurityservices.FBIexpertscloselyfollowedinvesgaonsbytheYemenisecurityservices,parcularlytheinterrogaonsofgroupsaccusedofhavingkidnappedsixWesterntouristsin1998,fourofwhomwerekilled.49

Then,theUSNavynegoatedacontracttousetheportofAdenfortherefuellingofitswarships.SeveralmilitaryocersvisitedSanaa,includingtheheadofUSCentralCommand,theregionalmilitarycommandcentreinchargeofoperaonsintheMiddleEast,CentralAsia,andtheHornofAfrica,todiscussfuturecooperaononjointmilitaryexercises.Theintensicaonofrelaonsbetweenthetwocountrieswasnotpopularwithpublicopinion,whichwasverycricaloftheperceivedhegemonicaimsoftheUnitedStatesintheregion.

On 12 October 2000, the USS Cole, an American warship overseeing the embargo against Iraq, was aacked.SeventeenAmericansailorswerekilledand50otherswereinjured.Thenextday,anexplosionoccurredattheUKembassyinSanaa,thoughleavingnocasuales.Followingthis,AmericaincreaseditspressureandPresidentSalehwasforcedtoacceptthecondionsimposed;anagreementtocooperateoncounter-terrorismwassignedinNovember2000betweenSanaaandWashington.Asaresult,nearly100agentsfromdierentUSagenciesincludingtheFBIweretoassisttheYemenisintheirinvesgaons.On7July2001,theAmericanembassyinSanaa,whichhadbeenclosedsincetheaackontheUSSCole,reopened.ThecooperaonbetweentheYemeniandAmericangovernmentswaswidelyresentedbytheYemenipeople,andexacerbatedlocaltensionsalreadyhighthroughout

thecountry.PresidentSalehthereforehadtodealwithboththeseexternalpressuresandinternalprotestsledbytheopposionandprofessionalorganizaons,whichcalledforaboycoofAmericanproducts.Despitethesesig-nicantconcessions,AmericanleadersdidnotbelievetheYemeniauthorieswerecooperangsucientlyandtheinvesgaonintotheaackontheUSSColestalled.TheAmericanswerenotabletointerrogatesuspectsarrestedbytheYemenisastheywouldhavelikedto,andtheysuspectedcollusionbetweenmembersoftheYemenisecretservicesandthearmedgroupthatclaimedresponsibilityfortheaacks,theIslamicArmyofAdenandal-Qaeda.50

3.2 T imact stmb 11, 2001

Aertheaacksof11September2001 ontheWorldTradeCenterandthePentagon,theclimatechangedfun-damentallyandirrevocably.AstheUnitedStateselaborateditsnewdoctrineforthewaragainstterror,Yemen,accusedoftoleranggroupswithlinkstoal-Qaeda,washighonthelistofpriories.Severalofthemenaccusedof

plongtheSeptember11aackswereinfactYemenis.PresidentAliAbdallahSalehthusmadehischoicequickly:notwishingtorepeatthepainfulexperienceofthe1991GulfWar,heplacedhimselfatthedisposaloftheAmericansandpromisedfullcooperaon.HealsooeredtolaunchawaragainstterrorismsidebysidewiththeAmericansto

48)JeremyM.Sharp,Yemen:currentcondionsandU.S.relaons,CongressionalResearchService,12September2007RL34170,p.7,hps://opencrs.com/document/RL34170/2007-09-12/(accessed28July2013).

49)Muhammedal-Ahmady,Yemeni-Americanrelaonsaerthe11September2001aacks( -),hp://almos11lim.net/node/85268(accessed28July2013).

50)On5September,severaldaysaerthearrivaloftheFBIdelegaoninSanaa,PresidentSalehmetwithal-JazeerajournalistsregardingtheinvesgaonoftheaackontheUSSCole.HeexplainedthathewasdoingeverythinginhispowertolimitthescopeoftheFBIinYemen.Toexaggerate:TheyweredeniedaccesstoYemeniterritorybyourforces,ourplanes,andourships()Theyareplacedunderdirectsur-veillancebyoursecurityservices.FortheFBIagents,theself-praiseofSalehwasthesame.ElevenmonthsaertheaackontheUSSCole,theagentsconnuedtoturnincircles.GregoryD.Johnsen,ThelastRefuge,Yemen,A-Qaeda,andAmericaswarinArabia,W.W.Norton&Company,Inc.,2012,Chapter6.

3. Ym Amra rhar



reinforcehisinternalpowerandbenetfromnewnancialandmilitaryaid.

InNovember2001,theYemeniPresidentvisitedtheUnitedStatestomeetwithhisAmericancounterpart.Relaonsbetweenthetwowouldfurtherintensify,alongwithYemeni-Saudirelaons,especiallywithregardtoprisonerexchanges.Manymilitantssuspectedofterroristacvieswerearrestedandbankaccountswereclosed.TheUSgovernmentprovided$400millioninassistancetobuildanewtrainingcampfortheghtagainstterrorism,which

wasrunjointlybytheCIA,theUSNavy,andtheUSSpecialForces.The Counter-TerrorismUnit of the Yemeni Central Security Forces wastechnically under the command of theMinistryofInterior,butwasinrealitycontrolledbythePresidentandrunbyhisnephewGeneralYahiaMuhammedAbdallahSaleh.51Itsclandesnemissionwastotrackdownandeliminatesuspectedterrorists52,anditreceivedAmericanequipmentandsupport53.BrishSpecialForceshavealsobeensenttoYemen.54Onaninternallevel,however,Salehconnuedtobothusean-imperialistrhetoricandcourtthevariousIslamistactorslikelytocricizehispro-Americanpolicies.

On6October2002,anaacktookplaceagainsttheLimburg,apetroltankeryingtheFrenchag,whichwastrans-porng400,000barrelsofpetrolintheGulfofAden.Onesailordiedandthousandsofbarrelsofpetrolowedintothesea.PresidentSalehagainfeltcompelledtoincreasehiscooperaonwiththeAmericanagencies,inparculartheFBIandCIA.TheUnitedStates,whichnowhadaround1,000soldiersinYemen,receivedauthorizaontoopen

anFBIbureauinSanaaandconnuetodelivermilitaryequipmenttotheYemenis,includinghelicoptersandfrigatesforthesurveillanceofthecoastlineandtheStraitofBabal-Mandab,astrategicpointbetweentheRedSeaandtheGulfofAden.55InSeptember2004,the1990GulfWarembargoontheexportofUSarmstoYemenwaslied.

PresidentSalehalsoauthorizedsurveillanceofYemeniterritorybyAmericandrones,whichtookofromabaseinDjiboutoidenfyandkillthosesuspectedofinvolvementintherecentterroristaacks. 56Thuson3November2002,AbouAlial-HarithiwasidenedasacommanderoftheaackontheUSSCole,andheandvecompanionstravellinginacarweretrackedandassassinatedbyanAmericandrone.Theaackwasaturningpointintheglobalwaronterror:itwastherstmethattheAmericanmilitaryopenlykilledpresumedterroristsoutsideaconictzoneinacountrywithwhichitwasnotatwar. 57TheYemenigovernmentauthorizedthisoperaon,butitpreferredtokeepitsapprovalsecret,andliedinitsversionofevents:accordingtotheregime,thepassengersofthevehicleweretransporngabombthatexploded.ItwasotherwiseimpossibletojusfysuchassassinaonstoapopulaonthatwasbecomingmoreandmoreopposedtoitssecuritypoliciesanditsalignmentwithUSposions.

TheUSauthorieslateracceptedpublicresponsibilityfortheaack,whichwasdevastangtothereputaonoftheYemenigovernment.Triballeaders,whowerebeginningtoprotestagainstforeignintervenonandthearbitraryarrestof youthswithoutchargesbeingbroughtagainst them,called thegovernmentscredibility intoqueson.ThisneworientaonoftheYemeniregimewouldrapidlyshowitslimits,asitmovateddozensofveteransofthewarinAfghanistanandothermilitantstotakeuparmsandorganizeaacks,anumberofwhichwerecommiedasretaliaonfortheexecuonofal-Harithi.58

51)Alkarama,Yemen,HumanRightsinDanger:CaughtbetweenInternalConictandExternalForces,ReportpresentedtotheCommieeagainstTortureinthecontextofthesecondperiodicreviewofYemen,16October2009,hp://en.alkarama.org/index.php?opon=com_docman&task=doc_download&gid=147&Itemid=218(accessed28July2013).

52)JeremyScahill,TheDangerousUSGameinYemen,TheNaon,18April2011,hp://www.thenaon.com/arcle/159578/dangerous-us-game-yemen?page=0,1#(accessed28July2013).

53)JeremyM.Sharp,Yemen:currentcondionsandU.S.relaons,CongressionalResearchService,12September2007RL34170,p.7,hps://opencrs.com/document/RL34170/2007-09-12/(accessed28July2013).

54)RupertHamer,CrackSASteamtohuntal-Qaedaterrorists,Mirror,3January2010,hp://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/crack-sas-team-to-hunt-al-qaeda-191996(accessed28July2013).

55)LaurentBonnefoy,Betweenexternalpressuresandinternaltensions,anunstableequilibriuminYemen,loc.cit.

56)GregoryD.Johnsen,TheLastRefuge,op.cit.,Chapter9.

57)Ibid.

58)Muhammedal-Ahmady,Lesrelaonsymno-amricainesaprslesaentatsdu11September2001(Yemeni-Americanrelaonsaerthe11September2001aacks),op.cit.

th pa Spb 11, 2001



3.3 m uici t cati

Atthebeginningofthenewmillennium,PresidentSalehspolicyofmaintainingcloserelaonswithcertainsegmentsofthepopulaonwhowereopenlyhosletoanyUSpresenceinYemen,connuedtobecricizedbytheUnitedStates,whichpressuredthegovernmenttoincreaserepression,especiallyaertheprisonbreakof2006(discussedbelow).PresidentSalehconnuallydownplayedtheAmericanroleinYemenpublicly,andaributedresponsibility

forthedroneaackstotheYemeniairforce.However,asWikileakswouldlaterreveal,inconversaonsbetweenSalehandUSpolicalandmilitaryocialsheexplicitlyallowedtheAmericanstotargetsuspectedterrorists.59

Saleh,however,connuedonhispathofcompromisewiththeseinternalforcesduetotheimportanceofthetriballeaderswhowouldconnueprotecngmembersoftheirtribes,regardlessofwhattheydid.Withoutthesupportoftheseleaders,hispowerwouldbeunquesonablyandperhapsfatallyweakened.Hethusplayedadoublegame:playingupthethreatofal-QaedatoobtainfundsandsupportfromtheAmericansand,atthesameme,makingarrangementswithpeoplewantedbyWashington,suchasJamalal-BadawiandJabiral-Banna(aUScizen),twomenconsideredimportantterroristleadersthattheUnitedStateswantedtoextraditetotheircountry.60When,in2007,FrancesTownsend,HomelandSecurityadvisertoPresidentGeorgeW.Bush,metwithPresidentSaleh,sheaskedaboutal-Badawiscurrentstatus.PresidentSalehexplainedthatal-Badawihadbeenreleasefromprisonbutassuredherthathewasbeingcloselywatched,aresponsewhichcertainlydidnotpleaseTownsend.61

Duetotheuprisingswhichbrokeoutinearly2011andtheincreasingstrengthofarmedgroupsbothaliatedandnon-aliatedwithal-Qaeda,USforceswithdrewtheirtroopsstaonedinYemen,includingtheSpecialOperaonsforces,andsentthemtotheirmilitarybaseinDjibouwheretheyconnuetomanagetheirintelligenceacviesandcoordinateoperaonswiththeYemeniintelligenceservices.TheYemeniCounter-Terrorismunitcreatedin2003andtrainedbytheUSmilitaryforcesdoubledinsizetoreach300agentsin2011.62ThisunitandtheRepublicanGuardwerenolongerunderthecommandofAmericanmilitaryunits,ashadpreviouslybeencommonpracce. 63However,thesetroopswereincreasinglydeployednotagainsttheinsurgentsofal-QaedaorAnsaral-ShariathatoccupiedAbyaninMarch2011,butinsteadtoprotecttheregimeofPresidentSaleh,whowasfacingapopularuprisingthatwouldeventuallyforcehimtoresign.TheYemeniarmyandairforce,alongwiththeirAmericanandSaudiArabiancounterparts,carriedoutoperaonsinAbyananditsneighbouringprovinces.InformaonontargetswasoenprovidedtotheYemenisbyUSintelligence.TheapparentUSwithdrawalfromYemenwasthereforeonly

relave:themilitarybaseinal-AnadinLahjprovinceconnuedtobeoperaonal,andairraids,especiallybydrones,increasedinlate2011.64

SeekingtobeclosertoYemenwithoutbeingontheground,theUSbegantheconstruconofanewsecretairbaseinSaudiArabiabeginninginthesummerof2011.ItwouldprimarilyserveasabaseforCIAdrones.SaudiauthoriesalwaysdeniedanyinvolvementwiththeUSagenciesghngal-QaedainYemen.Ocially,USbasesinthecountrywereevacuatedin2003followingtheinvasionofIraq.Yetin2013,theWashingtonPostrevealedtheexistenceofthenewbase,whichhadbeenkeptsecretfromthepressfornearlytwoyearsattherequestoftheUSgovernment.65

Twomonthsaertheeleconon21February2012ofMarshalAbdal-RabMansural-Hadiasthepresidentof

59)PamBenson,U.S.roleinYemencoveredupbyitspresident,WikiLeakslereveals,CNN,28November2010,hp://arcles.cnn.

com/2010-11-28/us/wikileaks.yemen_1_yemeni-president-yemeni-american-president-ali-abdullah-saleh?_s=PM:US (accessed 28 July2013).

60)TherstwasaccusedofparcipangintheaackontheUSSColeandescapedin2006withJabiral-Bannaanddozensofothermen.BoththenwenttotheYemeniauthoriesandhavebeenlivingfreelyinYemeneversince.

61)JeremyScahill,DirtyWars:TheWorldisaBaleeld,SerpentsTail,April2013,Chapter20,PrisonBreak(electronicbookwithoutpagenumbers).

62)AssociatedPress,UStoexpandYemenicounter-terrorismtraining,TheNaonal,15February2011,hp://www.thenaonal.ae/news/world/middle-east/us-to-expand-yemeni-counter-terrorism-training(accessed28July2013).

63)JeremyScahill,WashingtonswarinYemenbackres,TheNaon,14February2012,hp://www.thenaon.com/arcle/166265/wash-ingtons-war-yemen-backres(accessed28July2013).

64)Ibid.

65)GregMillerandKarenDeYoung,BrennannominaonexposescricismontargetedkillingsandsecretSaudibase,TheWashingtonPost,5February2013, hp://arcles.washingtonpost.com/2013-02-05/world/36758638_1_drone-base-al-awlaki-brennan-nominaon (accessed28July2013).

Y Aas sshas



Yemen,formersecurityadvisertoPresidentObamaandcurrentCIAdirectorJohnBrennanvisitedYementomeetwiththenewpresident.Pentagonocialsreportedthat,sincethisvisit,theirsoldierswereredeployedinthecountryasthenewregimewasopentodirectcooperaonbetweenUSandYemeniforcesoutsideofthecapital.Inearly2012,althoughthelargestmilitaryoensiveagainstthearmedgroupsstrongholdshadyettobelaunched,thepressreportedthat:TheObamaadministraonsdirectmilitaryroleinYemenismoreextensivethanprevi-ouslyreportedandrepresentsadeepeninginvolvementinthenaonsgrowingconict.66

AccordingtomilitarysourcesreporngincondenalitytoAlkarama,18Predator-typedronesaswellasAmericanSpecialForcessoldiershavebeenstaonedatal-AnadairbasewiththeapprovaloftheYemenigovernment.Thedevicesapparentlyequippedtobeabletoidenfytargets.Accordingtotheinformaonprovided,therearetwocentresinYementoanalyzetheinformaoncollectedandtoguidedronestrikes:oneofthemislocatedintheUSembassyinSanaaitself,andtheotherisinalocaonwhichiskeptasecret.Accordingtooursources,thegroupthatdecidesonthedroneaacksiscomposedontheYemenisideoftheheadsofCounter-Terrorismunits,ocialsofthenaonalsecurityapparatus,ofthechiefsofstaandmembersoftheMinistriesofDefenceandoftheInterior,appointedbyPresidental-Hadi;andontheUSside,ateamofCIAagentscommissionedbyPresidentObama.

Inparallel, the number ofUS troops staoned in Yemen has increased signicantly since 2012. In June 2013,accordingtotheYemeninewspaperal-Charaa,some1,500soldiersweresenttotheal-Anadmilitarybase,and

another200were sent totheal-Deylamiairbasein Sanaa;these two baseshouse 5,800and 850US militarypersonnelrespecvely. 67

AsymboloftheincreasedUSmilitarypresenceinYemen,theSheratonhotelinSanaawascompletelyrentedoutbytheUSembassyinJanuary2013,andissinceincludedinwhatYemenisrefertoasathenewgreenzone,similartotheonecreatedinBaghdad.Theseheadquartersservediplomats,themilitary,and intelligenceagentsandisprotectedbyadetachmentofMarines.68

Militaryaidhasalsoregularlyincreased:between2006and2010,Yemenreceived$300millioninmilitaryandsecurityaidfromWashington,and$1.2billionhasbeenproposedforthenextsixyears.TheUnitedStateswascricized,bothinsideandoutsideYemen,forsendingthewrongsignalby rushinggreatermilitaryaidto Sanaa,aswellasmilitarytrainersandadvisors,whileoeringmuchlesssocialandeconomicassistance.ThemilitaryaidreinforcedtheideathatAmericansweremainlymovatedbymaersof highsecurity,insteadofYemensmoreprevalentproblemsofpoverty,governmentcorrupon,andinternalregionaldivisions.69

66)KenDilanianandDavidS.Cloud,U.S.escalatesclandesnewarinYemen,LosAngelesTimesBlog,16May2012,hp://lamesblogs.lames.com/world_now/2012/05/washington-escalaon-american-clandesne-war-yemen-us-troops-.html(accessed28July2013).

67)Ymen:loccupaonUS!!(Yemen:TheUSOcupaon!!),IribWorldService,18June2013,hp://french.irib.ir/analyses/commentaires/item/261732-y%C3%A9men-washington-renforce-sa-pr%C3%A9sence-militaire(accessed28July2013).

68) Sheila Carapico, A new Green Zone in Sanaa, Merip, 1January 2013, hp://www.merip.org/new-green-zone-sanaa?utm_source=merolist&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=sanaa(accessed28July2013).

69)StephenW.Day,RegionalismandRebellioninYemen,op.cit.,Chapter8:Lookingintotheabyss.

F susp pa



4.1 T Uitd stat w tatgy i t Glbal Wa T

ThreedaysaertheSeptember11aacksonNewYorkandWashington,theWaronTerrorismorGlobalWaronTerrorism(GWOT)wasgivenanimportantboostbytheUSCongresssresoluonof14September2001knownastheAUMF(AuthorizaontoUseMilitaryForce),whichstates:thePresidentisauthorizedtouseallnecessaryandappropriateforceagainstthosenaons,organizaons,orpersonshedeterminesplanned,authorized,commied,

oraidedtheterroristaacksthatoccurredonSeptember11,2001,orharbouredsuchorganizaonsorpersons,inordertopreventanyfutureactsofinternaonalterrorismagainsttheUnitedStatesbysuchnaons,organizaonsorpersons.70Thisdocumentisexceponalinthatitdoesnotplaceamelimitonthewar.

Sincetheseaacks,thewaronterrorismhasbeencrucialtothestructuringofUSpolicsasmuchontheinternalasexternalfronts.FromtheabovemenonedAuthorisaontothePatriotActof25October2001,whichputsheavyrestriconsonthecivilandpolicalrightsofUSresidents;andfromtheBushdoctrine,thepresidentsnaonalsecuritystrategyannouncedon4September2002andbywhichtheUSgaveitselftherighttocarryoutpreventavestrikesorwaragainststatesinwhichterroristscouldgainaccesstoweaponsofmassdestrucon,totheopeningofGuantanamoBaydetenoncenter;fromthenetworkofsecretprisonstotheexternalisaonoftorturetocooperavestates;anenrelynewlegalandmilitaryarchitecturewascreatedandrened.Itwoulddeeplyaltertheglobalystrategicequilibrium,inparcularintheArabWorld,andwouldcontributetotheerupon

tenyearslaterofwhatwouldbecalledtheArabSpring.ItisimportanttonotethattheAUMFdocument,passedonlythreedaysaerSeptember11,wouldfromthenonserveasthelegalbasistojusfytargetedkillings.Asof17September2011,PresidentGeorgeW.BushauthorizedtheCIAtoarrest,detain,andkillmembersofal-Qaedaworldwide. 71Yemenwashitbyadronestrikein2002thatkilled6men,amongthemal-Harithi,andtheaackmarkedthelaunchingofthenewstrategyoftheUnitedStatesintheWaronTerror.72Itwasnotunl2009,however,thattheassassinaonsdramacallyincreased.

Meanwhile,Operaon Enduring FreedomwaslaunchedinOctober2001withthestatedaimofdestroyingal-QaedaaswellasTalibantrainingcampsinAfghanistanandtheHornofAfrica,andtopursuecombatantsinordertoarrestandtrythem.InMarch2003 Operaon Iraqi FreedomwaslaunchedunderthepretextthattheIraqipresident,SaddamHussein,hadcollaboratedwithal-QaedaandthreatenedtheUnitedStateswithweaponsofmassdestruc-

on,allegaonsthatwerelaterrevealedtobeuntrue.ThetwomilitaryintervenonswererecognizedasarmedconictsbytheUN(whichhadiniallyconsideredthattheprevenvewaragainstIraqwasnotincompliancewithitscharter,butwhichlaterrevieweditsdecision,sanconingthewar),butulmatelywereunsuccessfulastheirstatedobjecveshavenotbeenmet(includingtherestoraonofdemocracy)althoughthehumanandnancialcostshavebeenparcularlysteep.

UponthearrivalofBarackObamatothepresidencyin2009,contrarytocommonbelief,theUSstrategyinthewaronterrorthathadbeeniniatedbyhispredecessorconnuedandintensied.Asofitsarrival,thenewadminis-traonmadeeveryaempttoshowabreakwiththepastdoctrine,mainlybymodifyingitsrhetoric,forexampleeliminangthetermswaragainstterrorismandenemycombatants.Apartfromthissemancchange,concretemeasurestosignifyadrawdowninthewarweretaken:UStroopswerewithdrawnfromIraqin2011, 73andprepara-onsweremadeforapost-Afghanistanwithadramacdecreaseinthenumberoftroopspresentinthecountry

beginningin2014.Thesewithdrawalsdidnot,however,meanadisengagementofthegreatestmilitarypowerintheworldfromtheseregions.Rather,theywerethemostvisibleaspectsofthenewmilitarydoctrinebasedmoreonintervenonfromadistanceanduseofclandesneSpecialOperaonsthathadbegunundertheBushadministra-onbutthatwereconsiderablyexpandedunderObama.

70)TheCongress,Ajointresoluontoauthorizethe useofUnitedStatesArmedForcesagainstthoseresponsiblefortherecentaackslaunchedagainsttheUnitedStates,14 September2013,hp://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/BILLS-107sjres23cps/pdf/BILLS-107sjres23cps.pdf(accessed28July2013).

71)DanaPriest,CIAHoldsTerrorSuspectsinSecretPrisons,WashingtonPost,2November2005,hp://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/arcle/2005/11/01/AR2005110101644_3.html(accessed28July2013).

72)DavidJohnstonandDavidE.Sanger,YemenKillingBasedonRulesSetOutbyBush,TheNewYorkTimes,6November2002,hp://www.nymes.com/2002/11/06/internaonal/middleeast/06YEME.html?pagewanted=print&posion=top(accessed28July2013).

73)Thisisarelaveretreat,given50,000AmericansoldiersremainstaonedinIraq.

4. th War trrr udr Prd Barak obama



Duringtheperiodof2001-2008,theapproachoftheUnitedStateshadprivilegedthearrest,extraordinaryrendion,andsecretdetenonsinplacesunderthecontroloftheCIA,thenincarceraonwithouttrialatGuantanamo.Theexpressedgoalofthesetaccswastogatherintelligenceinabletomoreeecvelycombatal-Qaedasnetwork.ThemethodsulizedtoobtainthisintelligencewereseverelycondemnedbyorganizaonsdefendinghumanrightsandtheUnitedNaons,astheyconstutedtortureunderinternaonallaw.Thepracceofrendionshasbeenlargelystopped,andtheUSgovernmenthasbegunfavoringthephysicaleliminaonofsuspectedterrorists.

Cricsofthetaccofphysicaleliminaonofsuspectsconcentrateonthefactthatitiscounterproducve:notonlydoesitcreatehoslitytowardstheUnitedStates,butitfacilitatestherecruitmenteortsofarmedgroups,whichincreasesthethreatofterroristacts.Itseemsclearthat,ratherthanfocusonapolicalapproachtoitsproblems,theUSadministraonhasfavoredanapproachthatstrictly focusesonabsolutesecurity.By choosinga remotewar,theyaimtoeliminatetheterroristthreatwithoutconsideringthepossibleimpactonthepopulaon.AsnotedbythephilosopherGrgoireChamayou:Weareseeingarearrangingofprioriesintoasituaonwhereapolicythatseekstoterrorizeanderadicatehastakenprecedenceovertheconsideraonofitspolicaleectsonthepopulaon.74Aquesonworthaskingiswhethertheactualobjecveofthisinvisiblewaristoforceanenrecountryintoa stateofshock,aimingto breakdowntheverystructuresofsociety,weakeningan alreadyfragilestateinordertobeercontrolit.ThecaseofYemenseems,asweshalllatersee,toprovidestrongevidenceinthisdireconincludingthetargetschosen;thenon-discriminaonofstrikesleadingtothedeathofnumerouscivilians;theuseofdoubleaacks,whereastrikeisfollowedminuteslaterbyanotherstrike,obviouslyleadingtoalarger

numberofvicmsandstrikesonvehiclesinurbanareas.

4.2 T ititutializati tagtd illig

TheUnitedStateshasneverdeclaredwaronYemen,andtojusfyitsintervenoninacountrythatposednoconcretedangertothemandwhosegovernmentwasinfactanally,theAUMFof14September2001,whichclearlystatesitsauthorizaonfortheghtagainstthoseresponsiblefortheSeptember11thaacks,couldnotbeap-plicableinthiscase.AnimpercepbleslippingwasthereforeallowedintheapplicaonoftheAUMFtoincludethepursuitandtargengofalQaedaassociatedforces.ThistermdoesnotappearanywhereintheAUMFitself,butappearsintherhetoricofPresidentObamaandocialWhiteHousedocuments.75Ithasbecomepredominant

intheeortstolegimizethewaragainstgroupswithoutestablishedlinkstotheoriginalal-Qaedaorganizaon,responsiblefortheSeptember11thaacks.

Manypeoplecricizethisextensionbecauseitfailstotakeintoaccountthepolicaleectsofitonthegroundandasit would leadtoUS interferencein localconicts.InYemen,theUShasinterfereddirectlyandmassivelyintheconictbetweenthegovernmentandpartoftheopposion,contribungtotheradicalizaonofposionsandcomplicangnegoaons.NumerousUSocialsarefullyawareoftheseproblems,suchasanocialwhorequestedanonymityandwhoseremarkswerereportedbytheWashingtonPost:al-QaedasaliateinYemenis

joinedatthehipwithalocal insurgencywhosemaingoal istooustthecountrysgovernment[]I thinkweriskbeingperceivedastakingsidesinacivilwar. 76

Thedenionofal-QaedaorTalibanassociatedforceswhoareengagedinhosliesagainsttheUnitedStatesor

itscoalionpartners,includinganypersonwhohascommiedabelligerentactorhasdirectlysupportedthesehos-liesinaidoftheenemyforcesappearedintheNaonalDefenseAuthorizaonActof31December2011.77Wecanthusidenfythreetypesofconguraons:armedgroupsworkingwithorunderthedireconofasubsidiaryof

74)GrgoireChamayou,Thoriedudrone(TheoryoftheDrone),LaFabrique,2013,p.106.

75)The WhiteHouse,FactSheet:U.S. PolicyStandardsandProceduresfortheUse ofForceinCounterterrorismOperaonsOutside theUnitedStatesandAreasofAcveHoslies,23May2013,hp://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-oce/2013/05/23/fact-sheet-us-policy-standards-and-procedures-use-force-counterterrorism(accessed28July2013).

76)GregMiller,CIAseeksnewauthoritytoexpandYemendronecampaign,WashingtonPost,18April2012,hp://www.washingtonpost.com/world/naonal-security/cia-seeks-new-authority-to-expand-yemen-drone-campaign/2012/04/18/gIQAsaumRT_story.html (accessed28July2013).

77)QuotedbythewebsiteDommagesCivils(CivilianDamages)inSurlAUMF:bienttuneextensiondudomainedelalue?(OntheAUMF:soon an extensionof the baleeld?), 21 March 2013, hp://dommagescivils.wordpress.com/2013/03/21/sur-laumf-bientot-une-exten-sion-du-domaine-de-la-lue/(accessed28July2013).

th suaza agd gs



al-Qaeda;groupsthatsupportandcommunicatewithal-Qaeda;andarmedgroupsthatareclearlyindependentbutthatarealsoextremistandSalastinnature.78TheAUMFanditsextensionserveasthebasisfortargetedkillings,inYemenasinothercountries,ofindividualsthatfallintothesecategories.Accordingtothepress,thegovernmentsoftheUnitedStatesandYemenagreedtoworktogethertokillorcapturemorethantwentymembersofal-Qaeda.Thiscooperaonreectedthenewapproach,whichaccordingtotheNewYorkTimes,aimstoemploysmallnumbersofSpecialOperaonstroops,CentralIntelligenceAgencyparamilitaryteamsanddronesagainstelementsofal-Qaeda

thatarecommiedtostrikingtheUnitedStates,whilearmingandadvisingindigenoussecurityforcesto tacklecostlierlong-termcounterinsurgencycampaigns. 79Accordingtothesamenewspaper,JohnO.Brennan,theformerHomelandSecurityadvisortoObamaandthecurrentDirectoroftheCIA,travelledtoSanaaafewdaysaertheeleconofAbdal-RabMansoural-Haditovisitthenewpresidentandworkonthisjointstrategy.

Theannouncedoperaonsarelaunchedwithatotallackoftransparency.Americanocialsrefusetodiscloseanyinformaonregardingtheindividualstargetedorthemeansusedtoeliminatethem.Theveryidentyofthetargetsoenremainsunknown.TheUnitedStatesgovernmentdidnot,foralongme,recognizethatsuchassassinaonswerebeingcarriedoutandifitwerenotforstatementsbyocialsintheadministraonandleaks,orchestratedornot,theywouldhaveremainedsecretforever.ItwasnotunlthemidyearWhiteHousereportwasreleasedinJune2012thattheadministraonociallyadmiedthattheAmericanarmyhastakendirectaconsagainstmembersofal-QaedaanditsassociatesinYemenandSomalia.ThereportfailstomenontheacviesoftheCIA.80TheYemeniauthories,fortheirpart,aresilentorworse,acceptresponsibilityfortheseoperaons.

4.3 T pidt t Uitd stat lgaliz tagtd illig

AscricismoftheUnitedStatesbegantomount,especiallyregardingthekillingofUScizensandofsuspectsincountrieswheretheUnitedStateswasnot involvedin anarmedconict,PresidentObamadeliveredahighlyancipatedspeechattheNaonalDefenseUniversityinWashingtonon23May2013 inwhichhepresentedhiscounter-terrorismstrategy. 81Thenoveltyofthestrategylaylessinthestrategyitself,butratherinitspublican-nouncement.ObamaconrmedthattheUnitedStateshadbeenatwarsince11September2001,butsoughttodistancehimselffromhispredecessorbydeclaringthatglobalwarwithoutlimitisnolongeraviablestrategy.Yetoneofhisadvisers,MichaelSheehan,thecounselfortheSecretaryofDefenseforSpecialOperaonsandLow-

IntensityConict,saidafewdaysearliertotheUSSenate:inmyjudgment,thisisgoingtogoonforquiteawhile,and,yes,beyondthesecondtermofthepresidentIthinkitsatleast10to20years.82

ThePresidentoftheUnitedStatesjusedthemethodsusedintheghtagainstterrorism,especiallyoutsideofconictzones,whilstreassuringpeoplethatouraconsareeecve[and]thesestrikeshavesavedlives.Headded:Americadoesnottakestrikestopunishindividuals;weactagainstterroristswhoposeaconnuingandimminentthreattotheAmericanpeople,andwhentherearenoothergovernmentscapableofeecvelyaddress-ingthethreat.83Concretely,thesewordsarmthePresidentsbeliefthattargetedkillingsarelegalandlegimateandthathehasnoobligaontorespecttheterritorialsovereigntyofastate.Hisargumentaonalsoreferonce

78)DommagesCivils(CivilianDamages)inSurlAUMF:bienttuneextensiondudomainedelalue?(OntheAUMF:soonanextensionof

the baleeld?), 21 March2013, hp://dommagescivils.wordpress.com/2013/03/21/sur-laumf-bientot-une-extension-du-domaine-de-la-lue/(accessed28July2013).

79)EricSchmi,U.S.TeamingWithNewYemenGovernmentonStrategytoCombatAlQaeda,TheNewYorkTimes,26February2012,hp://www-nc.nymes.com/2012/02/27/world/middleeast/us-teaming-with-yemens-new-government-to-combat-al-qaeda.html?=_r=6&(accessed28July2013).

80)RobertBurns,USdeclassifyingaacksinYemen,Somalia,AssociatedPress,15June2012,hp://news.yahoo.com/us-declassifying-aacks-yemen-somalia-190446984.html(accessed28July2013).

81)TheWhiteHouse,RemarksbythePresidentattheNaonalDefenseUniversity,23May2013,hp://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-oce/2013/05/23/remarks-president-naonal-defense-university(accessed28July2013).

82)MichaelSheehan,inanappearancebeforetheSenateCommieeontheArmedForces,16May2013,predicngthatthewaragainstal-Qaedawouldlastbetween10-20yearsmore,inDemocracyNow,VIDEO:FromBostontoPakistan,PentagonOcialsClaimEnreWorldisaBaleeld,hp://www.democracynow.org/blog/2013/5/16/video_from_boston_to_pakistan_pentagon_ocials_claim_enre_world_

is_a_baleeld(accessed28July2013).

83)TheWhiteHouse,RemarksbythePresidentattheNaonalDefenseUniversity,23May2013,hp://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-oce/2013/05/23/remarks-president-naonal-defense-university(accessed28July2013).

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againtotheaacksperpetratedagainsttheUnitedStateson11September2001,twelveyearsearlier:Americasaconsarelegal.Wewereaackedon9/11.Withinaweek,Congressoverwhelminglyauthorizedtheuseofforce.Underdomesclaw,andinternaonallaw,theUnitedStatesisatwarwithalQaeda,theTaliban,andtheirassoci-atedforces.WeareatwarwithanorganizaonthatrightnowwouldkillasmanyAmericansastheycouldifwedidnotstopthemrst.Sothisisajustwar--awarwagedproporonally,inlastresort,andinself-defense.ThisissignicantforitsreferencetotheAUMFresoluon,whichmakesnomenonofassociatedforces,thetermthat,

aswehaveargued,hasservedtojusfyakindofstateofemergencywithoutlimitinspaceorme.

AwareofnavigangalegalspacewhereneithertheAmericanConstuonnortheprincipalsofinternaonallawarerespected,ObamaemphasizedthatAmericadoesnottakestrikeswhenwehavetheabilitytocaptureindi-vidualterrorists;ourpreferenceisalwaystodetain,interrogate,andprosecute.Hewentontoarguethat,incertainsituaons,however,wherethepersonsconcernednot onlyendangerthesecurityof theUnitedStatesbut alsocannotbearrestedforavarietyofreasons,theuseofdeadlyforcewasjused.Aguideexplainingthesesituaonswasreleasedthesameday.84ObamasoughttopersuadehisaudiencethathisadministraonremainedverystrictinitsrespectforthelawwhilstatthesamemeprotecngthesecurityoftheUnitedStates.Inthiscontext,theuseofdrones,whennecessarytoremovetheenemy,wouldappeartobethebestmethodinparcularduetoitsprecision.

TheeorttoensuretransparencywhichmanynotedinthisspeechwasmaybemademostclearlybytheadmissionfromthePresidentthathehadorderedthetargetedkillingofAnwaral-Awlaqi,anAmericancizenwhomhepresentedasthechiefofexternaloperaonsofAQAPeventhoughthisfunconhasneverbeenconclusivelyestablished.HealsoadmiedtothekillingoffourotherUScizensinYemen(inreality,thenumberisatleastve)withoutdescribingtheexactreasonfortheireliminaon.

Aswehaveseen,thestrategyofwithdrawingtroopsfromconictzonessuchasIraqandAfghanistanandreplacingthemwithtargetedoperaonsisnotnew.ItwasbornundertheBushpresidency,andgrewduringthersttermofPresidentObamawiththewithdrawalofa largeporonofUStroopsintheregion.Thisspeechremovedthetargetedkillingoperaonsfromsecrecytheyhad previouslybeeninandgavetheman acceptable,quasi-legalcharacter.Ulmately,itcontributedtotheinstuonalizaonoftargetedkillingsandensurestheconnuaonofawarwithoutend.

Thedayaerthespeech,whichmanyanalystshadunderstoodasthePresidentseekingtoreduceandregulatetheuseofdrones,Yemenwasthetargetofyetanotheraack,probablyadrone,andwastargetedagaininthefollowingmonths.85

4.4 Wic agci a imlicatd i t militay itvti i Ym?

MilitaryintervenoninYemenhasbeencarriedoutbytheYemeniarmedforcesaswellastheSaudiArabianandUSforces,whichinmanycasesassistwithplanningandsupervision.AlthoughitisonlyveryrarelyannouncedwhichUSagencyisresponsibleforeachoperaon,itappearsthattherearequiteanumberinvolved.InApril2012,theWashingtonPostwrotethatinrecentyearsinYemen,theCIA,theNaonalSecurityAgency,aswellasotheragencieshavelaunchedaacksthatpreviouslyfellundertheauspicesoftheJointSpecialOperaonsCommand

(JSOC)whichisundertheauthorityofthePentagon.UnlikeinPakistanwheretheCIAcarriesoutthemajorityofstrikes,aacksinYemen,inaddiontotheagencieslistedabove,havealsobeenlaunchedbytheUSNavystaonedoshore.86

AccordingtotheWashingtonPost,seniorUSocialshavesaidthatJSOCenjoysmoreautonomythantheCIAtotrackdownmilitantsinYemen,andthatitdoesnotneedocialauthorizaontocarryouttargetedkillings.Due

84)TheWhiteHouse,FactSheet:U.S.PolicyStandardsandProceduresforthe UseofForceinCounterterrorismOperaonsOutsidetheUnitedStatesandAreasofAcveHoslies,23May2013,hp://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-oce/2013/05/23/fact-sheet-us-policy-standards-and-procedures-use-force-counterterrorism(accessed28July2013).

85) Bureau of invesgave Journalism, Yemen: reported US covert acons 2013, hp://www.thebureauinvesgates.com/2013/01/03/yemen-reported-us-covert-acons-2013/(accessed28July2013).

86)GregMiller,CIAseeksnewauthoritytoexpandYemendronecampaign,WashingtonPost,18April2012,hp://www.washingtonpost.com/world/naonal-security/cia-seeks-new-authority-to-expand-yemen-drone-campaign/2012/04/18/gIQAsaumRT_story.html (accessed28July2013).

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tothespecicsituaonin Yemen,wherethereisaconictbetweenthegovernmentandtheinsurgency,droneintervenonsaremorecomplexbutthishasnotstoppedthembeingcarriedout.87

TheCIAalsocooperateswiththeSaudiArabianandYemeniintelligenceservicestobuildanetworkofinformantstobeercarryoutdronestrikes.Theexactlocaonofsuspectedindividualsisoenconrmedbyhumanintelligenceontheground.AsstatedbyGregMiller:TheagencyalsohasworkedwiththeSaudiandYemeniintelligence

servicestobuildnetworksofinformants.88

TherstaacksinYemenwerecarriedoutbyJSOCfromCampLemonnierinDjibou,themostimportantbasefordronesoutsidetheUnitedStatesthathouses3,200people,witharound300membersoftheSpecialForces.AnotherdronebaseislocatedintheSeychelles.89Inthesummerof2011,followingtheconstruconofthesecretAmericanmilitarybaseinSaudiArabia,90thenumberofdronemissionscarriedoutbytheCIAsignicantlyincreased.AdronelaunchedfromthenewbasecarriedouttheassassinaonofAnwaral-Awlaqi,anAmericancizen,bytheCIAon30September2011.ItmarkstherstmethattheCIAhaslaunchedadronestrikeinYemensince2002,andtherstindicaonthatthenewbaseisoperaonal.91

SeveralcommentatorshavearguedthatPresidentObamahasreducedtheroleoftheCIAinordertoincreasethelegalityandtransparencyoftheprogram.Accordingtothem,shiingcontrolofthedroneprogramtothePentagonwouldallowU.S.ocialstostreamlinedroneoperaonsundernormalproceduresinthelawofwar.92

ItisdiculttobelievethattheCIA,whichhas,tothisday,carriedoutthemajorityofstrikesoutsideAfghanistan,would trulybe marginalizedgiven theexpansion of itscapabilies since 2012. The agency not only has thenew base in Saudi Arabia93, but also, as reported bytheWashingtonPostinOctober2012,hasaninventoryof30-35 drones. Inorder toaugmentitsoperaons inYemen,italsoborrowsdronesfromJSOC.TheAmericanAir Force alone had an inventory, in October 2012, ofnearly 250 Predator, Reaper, and Global-Hawk drones.Analysts agree that over the past decade the CIA hasbeenexperiencingagradualconversiontoaparamilitaryforce.94

TheconnuedcooperaonoftheCIAandUSmilitaryinthisareaisconrmedinparcularbyWhiteHouseop-posion toan amendmenttothe2014 spendingbill thatwouldrequire any lethal militaryacon tobe under

87)GregMiller,CIAseeksnewauthoritytoexpandYemendronecampaign,op.cit.

88)GregMiller,CIAseeksnewauthoritytoexpandYemendronecampaign,op.cit.

89)GregMiller,Awlakiisrsthitfornewdronebase,TheWashingtonPost,30September2011,hp://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/checkpoint-washington/post/aulaqi-rst-hit-for-new-drone-base/2011/09/30/gIQASF4eAL_blog.html(accessed28July2013).

90)FirstrevelaonconcerninganAmericandronebaseontheYemeniborder:SaudiocialsconrmthatSaudiArabiaencouragedtheUnitedStatestointensifytheirintervenoninYemenandreprisalsfollowingtheaemptedassassinaonofMohamedIbnNaefandYemen:TheeldofAmericanmilitaryoperaons,al-Oula,1June2013,hp://www.aloulaye.com/index.php?opon=com_k2&view=item&id=6446:0000-00-00+00%3A00%3A00&Itemid(accessed28July2013).

91)GregMiller,Awlakiisrsthit fornewdronebase,TheWashingtonPost,30September2011,hp://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/checkpoint-washington/post/aulaqi-rst-hit-for-new-drone-base/2011/09/30/gIQASF4eAL_blog.html(accessed28July2013).

92)Carlo Munoz,WhiteHousemove toletPentagon

yemen/usa: license to kill; why the american drone war on yemen violates international law

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