AQAP is no longer simply a terrorist group, although that organization’s potential to do harm through spectacular acts of terrorism remains undiminished. It is now an insurgent organization capable of waging sustained combat against government forces. It is also capable of establishing itself in those territories where the government traditionally exercises little authority so long as AQAP can co-opt or intimidate the local tribal leadership in these areas. This danger suggests that the United States may have to expand its military assistance to Yemen, while maintaining as light a footprint as possible and avoiding the deployment of U.S. troops for anything other than training. Civilian and military planners need to consider ways to address the problems that may be associated with an expanded aid program while seeking continuing input from those on the ground on how such programs can be improved. In the end, this struggle will be won by strategy and not brute force.
One, brute force can be a strategy. I agree that our brute force isn't appropriate, but I'm not sure what the point of that statement is. Ultimately, he says do more of the same. Fine by me. Help Yemen kill jihadis, and all that. And do enough so that AQAP doesn't broaden into an insurgency capable of toppling or splintering Yemen.
I still don't get the sense that AQAP is more of a threat to us than to Yemen. And given that the article argues we should continue to do what we are doing, what impact calling AQAP the most lethal jihadi threat we face would have on our war effort is not clear. Nobody is saying Afghanistan (or Iraq) "distracts" us from Yemen.
We have to fight the jihadis all over the globe, whether with our aid, advisors, air strikes, or armies. Yemen is certainly one of those places. That's why it is the Long War.
