Al-Qaeda's training ground

Yesterday I wrote about the disproportionate response from the West concerning revolutions occurring in North Africa and the Middle East. One of the things I touched on was how the West while openly and militarily supporting the revolutionaries in Libya didn't seem to be doing much in Yemen. I hinted at the fact that this could be a powder keg situation and one that could have grave consequences for the West given Al-Qaeda's presence there. A worsening of the situation could serve to fuel Al-Qaeda in Yemen, a section of the terrorist organization that has shown itself to be much more unpredictable and innovative than their former masters in Pakistan (read Osama Bin Laden).

Here are some reactions from what is currently happening in Yemen.

From Gabrielle, a journalist.

Reports from Yemen say that government planes have bombed armed tribesmen who had seized an area outside the capital Sanaa.

At least 10 people were killed overnight in the Arhab region, 15 kilometres north of Sanaa International Airport, where government forces clashed with the country's most powerful tribal group.

The security situation in Yemen continues to get worse.

A few hours ago, President Ali Abdullah Saleh gave a defiant speech on state radio. He said he wouldn't relinquish power and urged foreign governments to stop interfering.

From Kahled, an oil worker:

No-one envisioned that the situation would deteriorate so rapidly.

On Thursday the sound of heavy artillery was heard throughout in the city.

From Rahan, a nurse:

It's obvious that the country has become unstable and it is a ticking time bomb.

I love Yemen and it breaks my heart to see the current situation, especially knowing it can only get worse. Security is plummeting and the economy is spiralling into oblivion.

Foreign intervention, although probably inevitable, will be too late.

It is exactly in situations like this that organizations that are fueled by fear and hate flourish. Al-Qaeda is just such an organization and they are already active and on the ground in Yemen.