Kevin Baron | June 4, 2012
Yemeni military officers captured by al-Qaida fighters complained in a recent PBS Frontline report that they were outgunned and out-supplied by the terrorist organization. The U.S. is increasingly active across a spectrum counterterrorism operations in Yemen, and has provided its military more than $300 million worth of aid. But the U.S. provided small arms, pickup trucks, and helicopter spare parts, in addition to "non-lethal" aid. No arms have come from Washington since last year. The Senate has approved the Pentagon's request to restart $75 million in aid, but that may not be approved until the end of the year. Should the U.S. consider doing more to arm Yemen's military sooner? Is the drone and secretive counterterrorism campaign good enough?
