Whereas al Qaeda-affiliated
terrorist groups operating in the Republic of Yemen are a threat to the
national security of the United States;
Whereas, on October 12, 2000, an
explosives-laden motorboat detonated alongside the United States Navy destroyer
USS Cole while it was docked in the Yemeni port of Aden, killing 17 members of
the United States armed forces and wounding 39 others in the deadliest
terrorist attack against the United States military since the 1983 attack on
United States Marine barracks in Beirut, Lebanon;
Whereas, on September 17, 2008,
after several previous failed attacks, Yemeni militants attacked the entrance
of the United States Embassy in Sana'a, Yemen, killing 17 people, including a
United States citizen;
Whereas al Qaeda in the Arabian
Peninsula has claimed responsibility for the alleged attempt by a Nigerian
national, Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, to detonate explosives on board Northwest
Airlines flight 253 bound for Detroit, Michigan, on Christmas Day 2009;
Whereas members of al Qaeda in the
Arabian Peninsula have used Yemeni territory as a base from which to launch
attacks against the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, including an August 2009
assassination attempt that injured Deputy Interior Minister for Security
Affairs Prince Mohammed bin Nayef bin Abdul Aziz al Saud;
Whereas the Government of Yemen,
since December 17, 2009, has undertaken a number of military operations against
al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula leadership;
Whereas stability in Yemen is
threatened by rapid population growth, endemic poverty, the inadequate
provision of basic services, widespread corruption, and natural resource
shortages stemming from extreme water scarcity and dwindling oil
production;
Whereas a tribal insurgency in
northern Yemen being waged by al-Houthi fighters and a southern secessionist
movement threaten the stability of Yemen;
Whereas hundreds of thousands of
Somalis and Ethiopians are seeking asylum in Yemen to escape civil war,
political grievances, and poverty;
Whereas these refugees create
significant additional pressures on Yemen’s limited resources and government
institutions;
Whereas the February 2009
Department of State report on Human Rights in Yemen found that
significant human rights problems persisted,
including
reports of arbitrary and unlawful killings by government forces,
politically motivated disappearances, and torture in many
prisons
;
Whereas, on January 21, 2010,
Secretary of State Clinton remarked, The success of [United States
Government assistance to Yemen] depends upon Yemen’s ability to make the tough
choices necessary to improve the capacity to govern, to reform its economy, to
protect human rights, to combat corruption, and create a better environment for
business and investment.
;
Whereas the weakening of
government institutions in Yemen could contribute to the ability of al
Qaeda-inspired and affiliated militants to recruit, train, and plan terrorist
operations against United States targets in the Middle East and in the United
States;
Whereas potential large-scale
population displacement and migration from Yemen due to civil conflict,
economic collapse, or resource failure could jeopardize the stability and
security of the region;
Whereas al Qaeda in the Arabian
Peninsula, al Qaeda in East Africa, and al-Shabab militants could take
advantage of instability in Somalia and Yemen to expand their reach and
effectiveness;
Whereas the United States
recognizes the importance of cooperating with Yemen to counter the al Qaeda
threat, promote economic development, and preserve Yemen’s stability as it
seeks to expand good governance;
Whereas in September 2009, USAID
and Yemen signed a 3-year economic assistance agreement to fund development
projects in the fields of health, education, democracy and governance,
agriculture and economic development;
Whereas President Obama has
significantly increased United States military and economic assistance to
Yemen, including—
(1)$66,800,000 in
fiscal year 2009 to build the capacity of the Yemeni military to conduct
counterterrorist operations; and
(2)$52,500,000 in
fiscal year 2010 for economic assistance administered by the Department of
State;
Whereas Yemen aspires to join the
Gulf Cooperation Council, some of whose members pledged more than
$4,000,000,000 to support Yemen’s economic development at a November 2006
international donors conference in London; and
Whereas the challenges of Yemeni
stability are not just a concern for the United States and Yemen, but are also
a concern for countries in the region and for the entire international
community: Now, therefore, be it
Whereas al Qaeda-affiliated terrorist
groups operating in the Republic of Yemen are a threat to the national security
of the United States;
Whereas, on October 12, 2000, an
explosives-laden motorboat detonated alongside the United States Navy destroyer
USS Cole while it was docked in the Yemeni port of Aden, killing 17 members of
the United States armed forces and wounding 39 others in the deadliest
terrorist attack against the United States military since the 1983 attack on
United States Marine barracks in Beirut, Lebanon;
Whereas, on September 17, 2008, after
several previous failed attacks, Yemeni militants attacked the entrance of the
United States Embassy in Sana'a, Yemen, killing 17 people, including a United
States citizen;
Whereas al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula
has claimed responsibility for the alleged attempt by a Nigerian national, Umar
Farouk Abdulmutallab, to detonate explosives on board Northwest Airlines flight
253 bound for Detroit, Michigan, on Christmas Day 2009;
Whereas members of al Qaeda in the
Arabian Peninsula have used Yemeni territory as a base from which to launch
attacks against the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, including an August 2009
assassination attempt that injured Deputy Interior Minister for Security
Affairs Prince Mohammed bin Nayef bin Abdul Aziz al Saud;
Whereas the Government of Yemen, since
December 17, 2009, has undertaken a number of military operations against al
Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula leadership;
Whereas stability in Yemen is threatened
by rapid population growth, endemic poverty, the inadequate provision of basic
services, widespread corruption, and natural resource shortages stemming from
extreme water scarcity and dwindling oil production;
Whereas a succession of armed conflicts
fought in northern Yemen between al-Houthi fighters and the Government of
Yemen, as well as a southern secessionist movement, threatens the stability of
Yemen;
Whereas hundreds of thousands of Somalis
and Ethiopians are seeking asylum in Yemen to escape civil war, political
grievances, and poverty;
Whereas these refugees create significant
additional pressures on Yemen’s limited resources and government
institutions;
Whereas the February 2009 Department of
State report on Human Rights in Yemen found that significant human
rights problems persisted,
including reports of arbitrary and
unlawful killings by government forces, politically motivated disappearances,
and torture in many prisons
;
Whereas, on January 21, 2010, Secretary
of State Clinton remarked, The success of [United States Government
assistance to Yemen] depends upon Yemen’s ability to make the tough choices
necessary to improve the capacity to govern, to reform its economy, to protect
human rights, to combat corruption, and create a better environment for
business and investment.
;
Whereas the weakening of government
institutions in Yemen could contribute to the ability of al Qaeda-inspired and
affiliated militants to recruit, train, and plan terrorist operations against
United States targets in the Middle East and in the United States;
Whereas potential large-scale population
displacement and migration from Yemen due to civil conflict, economic collapse,
or resource failure could jeopardize the stability and security of the
region;
Whereas al Qaeda in the Arabian
Peninsula, al Qaeda in East Africa, and al-Shabab militants could take
advantage of instability in Somalia and Yemen to expand their reach and
effectiveness;
Whereas the United States recognizes the
importance of cooperating with Yemen to counter the al Qaeda threat, promote
economic development, and preserve Yemen’s stability as it seeks to expand good
governance;
Whereas in September 2009, USAID and
Yemen signed a 3-year economic assistance agreement to fund development
projects in the fields of health, education, democracy and governance,
agriculture and economic development;
Whereas President Obama has significantly
increased United States military and economic assistance to Yemen,
including—
(1)$66,800,000 in fiscal
year 2009 to build the capacity of the Yemeni military to conduct
counterterrorist operations; and
(2)$52,500,000 in fiscal
year 2010 for economic assistance administered by the Department of
State;
Whereas Yemen aspires to join the Gulf
Cooperation Council, some of whose members pledged more than $4,000,000,000 to
support Yemen’s economic development at a November 2006 international donors
conference in London; and
Whereas the challenges of Yemeni
stability are not just a concern for the United States and Yemen, but are also
a concern for countries in the region and for the entire international
community: Now, therefore, be it
That the Senate—
(1)reaffirms its
commitment to helping prevent state collapse in Yemen, denying terrorists a
safe-haven, and supporting the people and Government of Yemen in dealing with
Yemen’s profound and interlocking security, development, and economic
challenges;
(2)reaffirms its
commitment to disrupting, dismantling, and defeating al Qaeda and affiliated
movements worldwide;
(3)urges the
Government of Yemen to strengthen and sustain efforts against al Qaeda in the
Arabian Peninsula;
(4)calls upon the
Government of Yemen to strengthen efforts to address corruption, to respect
human rights, and to work with its citizens and the international community to
address the significant factors driving the instability in Yemen;
(5)calls upon the
international community to closely coordinate and strengthen assistance
programs in Yemen;
(6)recognizes the
critical role of Saudi Arabia and other members of the Gulf Cooperation Council
in these assistance programs;
(7)urges intensive
dialogue toward ceasing armed hostilities through a negotiated political
settlement between the Government of Yemen and the Houthi rebellion;
(8)requests that the
Secretary of State, the Secretary of Defense, and the Director of National
Intelligence submit a joint, comprehensive strategy for Yemen, in classified
and unclassified form, to the Senate, including—
(A)counterterrorism
cooperation;
(B)development,
humanitarian, and security assistance;
(C)regional and
international diplomatic coordination; and
(D)democracy, human
rights, and governance promotion; and
(9)urges the
President to work with the people and Government of Yemen, the international
community, and the international organizations to implement the strategy
submitted pursuant to paragraph (8).
That the Senate—
(1)reaffirms its commitment
to helping prevent state collapse in Yemen, denying terrorists a safe-haven,
and supporting the people and Government of Yemen in dealing with Yemen’s
profound and interlocking security, development, and economic
challenges;
(2)reaffirms its commitment
to disrupting, dismantling, and defeating al Qaeda and affiliated movements
worldwide;
(3)urges the Government of
Yemen to strengthen and sustain efforts against al Qaeda in the Arabian
Peninsula;
(4)calls upon the Government
of Yemen to strengthen efforts to address corruption, to respect human rights,
and to work with its citizens and the international community to address the
significant factors driving the instability in Yemen;
(5)calls upon the
international community to closely coordinate and strengthen assistance
programs in Yemen;
(6)recognizes the critical
role of Saudi Arabia and other members of the Gulf Cooperation Council in these
assistance programs;
(7)applauds the February
2010 ceasefire that ended the latest round of fighting between the Government
of Yemen and the Houthi rebellion, and urges both parties as well as Yemen’s
neighbors and the broader international community to support the ceasefire
through the provision of humanitarian and reconstruction assistance in areas
affected by the fighting;
(8)requests that the
Secretary of State, the Secretary of Defense, and the Director of National
Intelligence submit a joint, comprehensive strategy for Yemen, in classified
and unclassified form, to the Senate, including—
(A)counterterrorism
cooperation;
(B)development,
humanitarian, and security assistance;
(C)regional and
international diplomatic coordination; and
(D)democracy, human rights,
and governance promotion; and
(9)urges the President to
work with the people and Government of Yemen, the international community, and
the international organizations to implement the strategy submitted pursuant to
paragraph (8).
March 11, 2010
Reported with an amendment and an amendment to the
preamble