By Nykoel Dinardo
Senior Desk Officer, Middle East

SANA’A, Yemen – On January 4, France became the third country to close its embassy in Yemen in two weeks.  The French Foreign Minister explained the closing, saying that their “ambassador decided on January 3 not to authorize public access to the diplomatic mission until further notice.”  Following the attempted bombing on Christmas Day, the U.S. and British embassies have also closed.

Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula [AQAP], a Yemen-based branch of the terrorist organization, claimed the attack and continues to make threats.  According to AQAM, Umar Farouk Abdulmullatab, the 23-year-old Nigerian man involved in the attack, received his materials and instruction from AQAM when he was in Yemen.  Abdulmullatab spent several months in Yemen in 2009; he claimed to be there to study Arabic.

John Brennan, a U.S. counterterrorism official, gave a statement to CNN saying that there are “indications that [AQAM] is planning an attack against a target in Sana’a.” 

Concern about Yemen’s effect on the region, as well as the rest of the world, continues to be echoed in the statements of other U.S. politicians as well.  U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton told reporters on January 4 that “the instability in Yemen is a threat to regional stability and even global stability.”  Clinton explained that the U.S. is working closely with other countries to try to determine the best approach. 

Brian Whitaker, in an article in the U.K.’s Guardian, suggests that the best approach does not involve the Yemeni Government.  Whitaker goes on to suggest that the U.K. and the U.S. should focus on aid to the people of Yemen, particularly those affected by the conflict between the Huthi rebels.  An article in Al Jazeera reinforces the desire for a non-military solution in the region.  Arguing that military action in Yemen will reflect the U.S. offensive in Somalia in the early 1990s, the article goes on to say that military action “will aggravate a fragile state of Yemen into a failing state.”

For more information, please see:

Al Jazeera – Yemen, The Joke is On You… – 5 January 2010

AFP – Yemen Instability Threatens Regional Stability: Clinton – 4 January 2010

CNN – Yemen Fertile Ground for Terror Groups – 4 January 2010

Guardian – Help Yemen, Not It’s Government – 4 January 2010

Financial Times – Third Western Embassy Closes in Yemen – 3 January 2010