Continuing the Game [Archives:2001/26/Focus]
Jalal Al-Sharaabi
Carrying on the same political game, America has recently withdrawn its inspectors to Washington, ‘where they can be more safe.’ However, it seems that it is continuing its tactics of exerting more pressures on Yemen to get more concessions.
Recent American statements highlighted good Yemeni collaboration in investigations pertaining to the attack on USS Cole. But, they complained that, Yemen had not been able to completely control ‘terrorist’ Islamist groups that America treat as the spring of terrorism in the whole peninsula. Although it was America that encouraged and supported such groups in the past, it now considers them as a source of terrorism according to its standards.
The rude American interference in the Yemeni internal affairs is illogical because America demands a remote-controlled government such as many others in the third world. There have been many American pressures on Yemen as a result of which many economic and military files were open for Yemen. Claiming itself as the guardian of human rights and democracy in the world, it intervenes in many internal affairs such as elections in many countries.
The blow of not being able to protect its warship has led it to spare no efforts to save of its face even at the expense of Yemen’s sovereignty. The young government of Bush wants to direct investigations as it wants. This has even led to interrogation of a number of Yemeni officials that it viewed as suspects.
As far as Islamist groups are concerned, Yemen has driven out more than 15 thousand out of 27 thousand Arab Afghans under pressure from Washington. However, this has not been satisfactory for America which keeps demanding more.
Whatever American aids have been presented to Yemen, none has been given for free. They were rather a means for political purposes.
America watches the Yemeni government’s movements meticulously. And when there is something that does not suit it, it tends to forget all words of appreciation and begins to play its dirty game.
——
[archive-e:26-v:2001-y:2001-d:2001-06-25-p:./2001/iss26/focus.htm]