Suicide Bombing in Yemen Bad Sign for Obama
Mammoth suicide bombing in Yemen Monday is another blow to Obamas attempt to show the Arab world democracy works.
A massive suicide bombing in Yemen Monday morning is another blow to President Barack Obamas attempt to show the Arab world that democracy works for it.
The suicide bomber, wearing a military uniform and presumably linked to Al Qaeda, killed at least 97 people, mostly soldiers, and wounded 300 others practicing for a military parade in the Yemeni capital of Sana.
President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi, backed by the Obama administration, was scheduled to attend the parade on Yemen's national day on Tuesday.
The suicide bombing came 10 days after the government launched a military campaign against Al Qaeda-linked terrorists who have nearly overwhelmed southern Yemen.
Obama has pointed to Yemen's change in government as a model for Arab countries seeking to adopt democracy, but the results there, as in all of the rebellions, have raised the nearly-century old question, Is democracy safe for the world?
Obama told G8 leaders meeting at Camp David that Syrian President Bashar al-Assad must leave power, and pointed to Yemen as a model to enable a Syrian-led, inclusive political transition leading to a democratic, plural political system.
Posted by: tipper 2012-05-21 |