Topic: Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula

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Where do things stand at Guantánamo? Six basic questions answered.

President Obama this week pledged to “reengage” with Congress to find a way to close the terror detention camp at the Guantánamo Bay, Cuba, naval base. The renewed focus comes as 100 of the 166 detainees are reported to be engaged in a hunger strike. Here is a brief look at where things stand now.
Top 3 threats to the United States: the good and bad news

The annual Worldwide Threat Assessment of the US Intelligence Community is out this week, a widely-anticipated report compiled by the nation’s intelligence agencies. Here is the good and bad news about the top three threats facing the United States, according to an unclassified version of the report.
Correspondent reflections: The 10 news events that shaped 2011
Yemen 101: Who's who in the escalating conflict
Europe on alert: fall 2010 terror plots

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Yemen sees resurgence of violence from militants, tribal fighters

Clashes broke out in southern Yemen, where government forces are battling militants they say belong to the local Al Qaeda affiliate. In the capital, they're engaged with tribal fighters.
Is Libya an 'arms bazaar' for terrorists?

Counterterrorism chief John Brennan says it is now much harder for Al Qaeda to carry out an attack in the US. But he's keeping an eye on Libya's weapons stockpiles.
Accused Fort Hood plotter got bombmaking recipe from Al Qaeda

Army Pfc. Naser Abdo had a bombmaking article by a branch of Al Qaeda, which had been posted online, according to court documents. In a court appearance Friday, Abdo yelled the name of the man charged with killing 13 peple at Fort Hood in 2009.
Senate confirms Petraeus as CIA chief; Pakistan confirms his job will be tough

The Senate gives Gen. David Petraeus a resounding 94-to-0 vote of confidence as CIA chief. But Pakistan signals that fighting terror – a top priority – will be hard, closing a base to US drones.
US unveils new counterterrorism strategy: three key parts

The new counterterrorism strategy replaces one from 2006 and calls for pursuing with ‘laser focus’ the approach that the Obama administration has already been taking.
At least 40 militants reportedly escape from Yemeni prison

Yemen's chaos could embolden militants, worry Western observers. But it's still unclear whether any of the reportedly escaped militants are from Al Qaeda.
The Next Wave: On the Hunt for Al Qaeda’s American Recruits

A TV journalist tracks the ‘next wave’ of terrorists – the home-grown variety.
Yemen's trouble with drones

An Obama administration plan expanding CIA use of armed drones to hunt for Al Qaeda affiliates in Yemen risks exacerbating the country's march toward civil war.
US covert attacks in Yemen: A better template for the war on terror?

The new campaign follows US concerns about a fortified Al Qaeda in conflict-torn Yemen. It’s very likely a harbinger of things to come, some national security experts say.
Yemen's power struggle

With President Saleh convalescing abroad, there is an urgent need to establish a clear political order not only for Yemen's security but also its economy, which could collapse within months.
US, worried about Al Qaeda in Yemen, urges Saleh to step down immediately

With Yemeni violence persisting as President Saleh convalesces in Saudi Arabia, US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton recommended an immediate transition to a new government.
Wounded Saleh vows to return to Yemen. Can Saudis stop him?

Yemen's President Saleh, recuperating in Saudi Arabia from an attack, insists he will return to his strife-torn country. The Saudis would rather he didn't, but what will they do to stop him?
Who will lead Yemen now?

With President Saleh in Saudi Arabia for medical treatment, Yemen's various opposition groups may have achieved their aim of ousting him, but they have divergent post-Saleh goals.
Yemen 101: Who's who in the escalating conflict

As Yemen’s crisis escalates, President Ali Abdullah Saleh is battling opponents on multiple fronts who have diverse backgrounds and agendas. Here's a rundown of the players you need to know in order to understand the unrest in Yemen.
Saleh deploys US-trained counterterrorism forces as tribes escalate fight

Gen. Ali Moshen al-Ahmar, a top military leader who defected in March, has backed the powerful Hashid tribal confederation with 1,000 troops of his own.
Yemen, Sudan, Libya: Can US douse flames of Middle East hot spots?

With the euphoria over the Arab Spring wearing off, President Obama is sending top aides to the Middle East to address worsening violence in Yemen and fears of renewed civil strife in Sudan.
Yemen slides into civil war

President Ali Abdullah Saleh has retained control of Yemen for 32 years by managing the country's numerous unrelated conflicts. Now, they are flaring up again – and appear to be beyond his control.
Yemen's Saleh cedes Al Qaeda hotbed to militants. Why?

President Saleh, increasingly embattled as civil unrest spreads and tribal leaders intensify their fight, says that Al Qaeda seized the capital of Abyan province. But residents saw no evidence of a fight.
Islamist militants take over southern Yemen city

The takeover of Zinjibar is likely to bolster US concerns that the vacuum created by Yemen's unrest is allowing militant groups like Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula to gain strength.
In US call for Americans to leave Yemen, a forecast of harder times ahead

Illustrating its limited options, the US, again, urges the president of Yemen to step down. A call for Americans to leave the country is further evidence of official pessimism.
Yemen heads toward civil war as Saleh escalates fight with major tribal leader

Yemen President Ali Abdullah Saleh has called for the arrest of Sheikh Sadiq al-Ahmar, who is leading as many as 10,000 armed men from Yemen's most powerful tribal confederation.
Can US keep aid flowing to Yemen's Saleh after embassy siege?

Saleh loyalists trapped the US ambassador for hours yesterday in a well-timed warning that Saleh is essential to Yemen's stability – a stance that has secured him millions in US aid.
Obama's Middle East goal: Tie US policy closer to American values

Obama's insistence that US policy in the Middle East support, rather than thwart, popular yearnings for self-rule is a warning to autocrats in the region – and marks an 'update' since his Cairo speech.
Al Qaeda reportedly taps Saif al-Adel as successor, potentially signaling a rift

Al Qaeda senior leaders reportedly chose Egyptian militant Saif al-Adel as an interim successor to Osama bin Laden, instead of expected next-in-line Ayman al-Zawahiri.
Why is US so quiet as regimes crack down on 'Arab Spring' protesters?

State Department spoke Thursday of 'deep concern' about violence against protesters in Yemen. Meanwhile, tumult ensues from Syria to Libya. Critics: Obama has no real policy on 'Arab Spring.'