US tells citizens to leave Yemen, reduces embassy staff

[DonViejo]

Source: Reuters

The United States told its citizens in Yemen to leave and said it was reducing the number of U.S. government staff there due to political unrest and fears of a possible military escalation.

President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi has said Yemen may be heading for civil war after Houthi rebels overran the capital Sanaa, allowing them to dictate terms to his weakened, fractured government. Over 100 people have been killed in fighting.

The Department of State warned “U.S. citizens of the high security threat level in Yemen due to terrorist activities and civil unrest,” it said in a travel warning.

On Wednesday, the State Department ordered a reduction in the number of U.S. government personnel in Yemen “out of an abundance of caution due to … the potential for military escalation”. The U.S. Embassy would continue with its operations, it said.

-snip-

Read more: http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2014/09/us-tells-citizens-to-leave-yemen-reduces-embassy-staff/

[msanthrope]

1. Considering the President just took out a major component of AQAP,

this is unsurprising.

[freshwest]

5. Okay. I know who AQ is, who's AQAP? Missed this acronym. TIA.

[jakeXT]

7. Arabian Peninsula

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arabian_Peninsula

[msanthrope]

8. Al Qaeda Arabian Peninsula....Think Anwar Awlaki. nt

[freshwest]

9. Thanks! But do I haveta think of that guy?

[customerserviceguy]

2. Pull us all out of there

and if you have to kidnap and drag out any remaining Americans, then do it. The animals don't need any more hostages to murder on TV.

Why any American is having ANYTHING to do with travel to a predominantly Muslim country at this time of turmoil is beyond me. Is any amount of money that you'd make worth having your family watch film of you being beheaded?

[Kaleva]

3. Even in quiet times, I fail to see what being in Yemen has to offer.

[Dont call me Shirley]

4. Same M.O. As Latin America, different continent. War is made by very very stupid people.

[quadrature]

6. setting the Middle East on fire... a foreign policy victory? ...nt

[CentralMass]

10. Arming it, then setting it on fire.