Oct. 19, 2015
When President Barack Obama laid out his strategy to combat the Islamic State (ISIL, ISIS, Daesh), he cited both Yemen and Somalia as examples where the United States had succeeded. “This strategy of taking out terrorists who threaten us, while supporting partners on the front lines, is one that we have successfully pursued in Yemen and Somalia for years,” he declared.
Even at the time of his statement, Yemen was a poor choice for a model.