Yemen has become increasingly unstable and violent in recent weeks as the future of President Ali Abdullah Saleh remains uncertain and 40,000 protesters march in the capital city. Tuesday Yemeni protesters and military and pro-government gangs clashed in several areas, with at least six killed and hundreds more injured.
The United States has said it has no intention of stopping its military aid to Yemen, despite the unrest. The aid supports Yemeni counter-terrorism efforts against al Qaeda’s influence in the country, where the group has active operatives.
Today on American Morning, Paul Cruickshank, CNN terrorism analyst and alumni fellow at New York University’s School of Law, explains how al Qaeda is expanding its reach in Yemen while the President is distracted.
Are U.S. authorities worried by what al Qaeda could achieve with a greater stronghold there?