US on Terror: Threat Level in Yemen is ‘Extremely High’

American Flag. Illustrative. By Joshua Spurlock“Get out!” is the message the US is telling Americans due to the risk of terrorism in the country of Yemen, home to a major Al-Qaeda group. A statement put out by the US Embassy in Yemen said that they have even sent non-emergency US government personnel out of the country “due to the continued potential for terrorist attacks.”

The strong warning comes as ABC News is reporting fears that Al-Qaeda terrorists have developed a “clothing bomb” using a liquid explosive. Dip the clothes in, let them dry and then they’re dangerous. The terror warnings serve as a stark reminder that Al-Qaeda is beaten, but not dead yet.

The US Embassy statement made it clear they remain “highly concerned about possible attacks” in Yemen, including the risk of Americans being kidnapped. The release said that the “security threat level in Yemen is extremely high.”

This should matter to Americans living outside of Yemen for multiple reasons. First, US citizens should not be complacent about the terror threat, especially with the new clothing bomb. Terrorists have tried to attack the US at home using similar plots in the past.

Second, it should also underscore that the war on terror is not over. Al-Qaeda remains powerful and dangerous, even if they have taken a number of blows. US military activity and intelligence gathering in the Middle East remains important (attention Congress: keep that in mind when budget debates come around).

Lastly, this is just one more reason why Americans should be concerned about Egypt and Syria, where terrorists are flocking amid the chaos there. Do we want a new Afghanistan or Somalia, where terrorists can use weak states as a home base?

The US has real security concerns relating to the instability in both those countries. In other words, it’s not just someone else’s problem.

(By Joshua Spurlock, www.themideastupdate.com, August 6, 2013)

What do you think?