January 26, 2010
“We partner with the elements that are focused on the extremists of most concern to us and that is, of course, al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula. … But I think to be fair, you also have to, then, help them with the greater challenges, not necessarily with stuff that they’ll necessarily use, or the Houthis or the southern secessionists, but with development aid and so forth that can help them deal with the economic issues that are often reasons that individuals are willing to become extremists or inclined to become extremists in the first place. A very tall order and it requires not just a whole of U.S. government approach, but a whole of governments approach because of course, the Saudis, the Emiratis, a number of the Omanis, a number of other governments in the region that I’ve talked to about Yemen have an enormous interest in helping President Saleh and the government there keep the country together and then deal with some of these very difficult issues that have led to the situations that they find right now.”—Gen. David H. Petraeus, commander, U.S. Central Command, event, “The Military Strategy Forum,” Center for Strategic and International Studies, January 21, 2010
