ISLAMIST MILITANTS EVICTED FROM MALI REGROUP IN LIBYA
The U.S. government is increasingly concerned that Islamist militants being pushed out of Mali are regrouping in neighboring countries, especially Libya. The mostly ungoverned southwest region of Libya is attracting fighters from Ansar al Dine and al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb who have started to set up training camps there. Niger, which shares a border with Libya, experienced twin suicide bombings in the town of Agadez last week. The U.S. and French militaries are attempting to fill the security void in Libya, but are finding it difficult to monitor the country’s expansive deserts – a problem compounded by disarray in Libya’s post-Gaddafi security apparatus. (The Wall Street Journal , May 24, 2013)
HEZBOLLAH BACKS THE SYRIAN REGIME
Hassan Nasrallah, the leader of Hezbollah, has fully committed his group to supporting Bashar al-Assad in the ongoing civil war in Syria. After Hezbollah fighters were spotted attacking the rebel held town of Qusayr alongside the Syrian army, Nasrallah announced “It [the Syrian conflict] is our battle, and we are up to it.”
With the Middle East’s premier Shi’ite militant group now fully invested in the Syrian civil war, the region’s most influential Sunni cleric has responded with his own call to arms to support the Syrian rebels. Sunni cleric Sheikh Youssef al-Qaradawi – an ideological bedfellow of the Muslim Brotherhood with millions of followers – has denounced Hezbollah as the “party of Satan” and called on “every Muslims trained to fight and capable of doing so” to join the Syrian civil war. “Iran is pushing forward arms and men (to back the Syrian regime), so why do we stand idle?” (The New York Times, May 25, 2013; Al Arabiya June 2, 2013)
JORDAN SEEKS TO UPGRADE ITS MILITARY
In response to the conflict in Syria, Jordan is engaging in talks with “friendly countries” (i.e. the United States) to acquire Patriot missile batteries. The Patriot missiles would be deployed to protect the country from Syrian ballistic missiles. NATO recently transferred four batteries of Patriot missiles to Turkey in order to prevent violence from Syrian from spilling over into the country.
Meanwhile, Jordan will be hosting a joint military exercise in June called “Eager Lion 2013,” along with the U.S., Britain, Bahrain, Canada, Czech Republic, Egypt, France, Iraq, Italy, Lebanon, Pakistan, Poland, Qatar, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia and Yemen. The exercise will involve 15,000 soldiers participating in battlefield, logistics, and humanitarian operations. (Al Arabiya, May 25, 2013; Defense News, May 26, 2013)
NATIONAL DIALOGUE RAISES IN YEMEN
A running dialogue between stakeholders in Yemen is attempting to establish the specifics of the country’s next government. The National Dialogue Conference has brought 565 people from all sections of the Yemeni population in order to discuss the country’s future as it transitions away from authoritarianism. The U.N. Special Adviser on Yemen notes that the National Dialogue Conference “is the only negotiated transition that exists in the context of the Arab Spring…It is a genuine process, nothing has been cooked in advance.” The Houthis, a Shiite minority in northern Yemen, have agreed to participate in the talks but could restart their insurgency if they are not pleased with the outcome. Also, the General People’s Congress, the political party that ruled Yemen for more than 30 years under former President Ali Abdullah Saleh, is still very influential and is remains headed by Saleh. If he were to return to power analysts believe it “would probably inspire a new street revolution.” (The New York Times, May 25, 2013)
SAUDI LEADERSHIP TRANSITION UNDERWAY
Prince Miteb, the son of King Abdullah, has been appointed to head Saudi Arabia’s National Guard by royal decree. He will command a force of 100,000 soldiers, even larger than the Saudi regular army which consists of just 75,000 men. In addition to its military role, the National Guard oversees social welfare programs for the families of its members. The past 18 months have seen the elevation of younger members of the ruling family to influential positions such as the interior ministry and governorship of Riyadh. These moves signal a shifting power base in Saudi Arabia as the country begins to prepare for the transition in leadership from King Abdullah, who is 90 years old, to new leaders like Prince Miteb. (Reuters, May 27, 2013)