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Yemen Exposes Difficulties in U.S. Strategy to Combat Extremist Militants
(Wall Street Journal) Maria Abi-Habib - The steady weakening of Yemen's pro-U.S. government over the past two months has exposed some of the same difficulties Washington faces in its efforts to battle the extremist group Islamic State in Syria and Iraq. Houthi rebels have taken control of towns and cities throughout Yemen, while the rival Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) mounted some of its deadliest attacks in an effort to thwart the Houthi advance. Only a remnant of the Yemeni government remains in power. Despite years of training and hundreds of millions of dollars invested, Yemeni troops have failed to develop into an effective fighting force that could fend off the threat of AQAP and the Houthis.