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From: Berhane Habtemariam (Berhane.Habtemariam@gmx.de)
Date: Tue Nov 02 2010 - 16:47:17 EST
Yemen: New Venue For U.S. Geopolitical Great Game-Why Yemen? Is the West
choosing a new target?
by Boris Volkhonsky
http://www.globalresearch.ca/coverStoryPictures2/21728.jpg
<http://www.globalresearch.ca> Global Research, November 2, 2010
-[T]he timing for the attacks (or, attempted attacks, or, presumably
attempted attacks) was chosen very carefully. The United States face the
mid-term elections, and the Democratic administration is heading for a worst
defeat in decades. If we look back at a not so distant past, we can remember
that a highly resonant terrorist attack is probably the best way to raise
the rating of the ruling administration.
-Obama's administration is looking at a new point of applying its attempts
and initiatives. After the obvious failure in Iraq and Afghanistan, they may
be looking at Yemen as a new venue of their geopolitical Great Game. The
strategic importance of that country is hardly to be over-estimated. The
power that controls Yemen, would control the most vital sea routes from
Europe to Middle East, South and Southeast Asia.
-Of course, the clock of history cannot be reversed and turned backwards.
But learning from the past seems to be very useful. And looking back at the
1980s, we may state that it was the US who, by supporting the mujahedeen
forces in Afghanistan, created the Taliban and Al-Qaeda. Now, by violently
fighting them in the Middle East, they are turning the whole Muslim world
against themselves and their allies.
Last weeks attempted attacks - either at US-bound aircraft or some
synagogues somewhere in the US, presumably in Chicago - remain the hottest
topic in Western media.
The pure facts run as follows. Last Friday two packages containing
explosives were found on cargo planes which initially flew from Sanaa,
Yemen, with destination in the US. One package was found in Dubai, the other
one in East Midlands Airport near Nottingham, England. Both packages - one
carried by UPS, the other one by FedEx - were addressed to synagogues in
Chicago. No one has yet claimed responsibility for the attempted attacks,
but the security official were very quick in attributing the plot to the
Yemeni section of Al-Qaeda.
The incident was followed by intense search of all cargo and passengers'
baggage in several US airports. Also, reports show that 26 more suspicious
packages were detained in Yemen. On Saturday, Yemeni officials arrested a
22-year-old woman Hanan al-Samawi, a suspect in the plot. But later on
Sunday, she was released on bail after it turned out that someone stole and
used her identity card to plant the packages containing explosives.
Meanwhile, the panic has stricken the US and Western Europe. Most countries
of the West upgraded the level of terrorist alert. Great Britain even
declared a ban on any aircraft that started its flight in Yemen, to k\land
on Britain's territory.
The whole story needs some clarification.
First, why Yemen?
The fact is that the Yemeni authorities have a very poor control over their
territory, and definitely have lesser desire to fight international
terrorism than their Saudi neighbors. As a result, some notorious figures in
the terrorist movement have found a safe haven in Yemen, especially after
Afghanistan and Pakistan ceased to be such as a result of constant military
activities.
Second, why now, and why Chicago?
Actually, the timing for the attacks (or, attempted attacks, or, presumably
attempted attacks) was chosen very carefully. The United States face the
mid-term elections, and the Democratic administration is heading for a worst
defeat in decades. If we look back at a not so distant past, we can remember
that a highly resonant terrorist attack is probably the best way to raise
the rating of the ruling administration. And an attack uncovered before it
was executed gives additional points to the authorities. So, whatever the
real motives of the terrorists, the whole uncovered plot is designed to give
Barack Obama and the Democrats a couple of points due to 'voting out of
compassion'. The fact that the explosives were addressed to synagogues in
Chicago (Obama's native town) speaks for itself.
Then, what follows next?
A most obvious answer would be that Obama's administration is looking at a
new point of applying its attempts and initiatives. After the obvious
failure in Iraq and Afghanistan, they may be looking at Yemen as a new venue
of their geopolitical Great Game. The strategic importance of that country
is hardly to be over-estimated. The power that controls Yemen, would control
the most vital sea routes from Europe to Middle East, South and Southeast
Asia. At the moment, if anyone controls this vital region are the Somali
pirates. For the US, taking hold of a territory there with prospects of
building its military bases, would mean a return to the scene that, due to
the failures of the recent one or two decades, seems at present lost.
But then, there is another and probably most crucial question. What means
the US is ready to use against a force that from the very beginning was a
pure US invention, i.e. Al-Qaeda?
By now, military measures have proved their complete futility, both in Iraq
and Afghanistan. More so, if Yemen has really become a safe haven for
extremists, it is due only to the American-led invasion of those two
countries. So, a military operation against Yemen may result only in one
thing: Al-Qaeda will shift its operations to another area, and hence, the
seeds of terrorism will be further disseminated.
Of course, the clock of history cannot be reversed and turned backwards. But
learning from the past seems to be very useful. And looking back at the
1980s, we may state that it was the US who, by supporting the mujahedeen
forces in Afghanistan, created the Taliban and Al-Qaeda. Now, by violently
fighting them in the Middle East, they are turning the whole Muslim world
against themselves and their allies. What will they achieve by spreading
their military activities to yet another area in that volatile region, is a
question, the answer to which hardly anyone would like to hear.
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