In testimony to the Senate Armed Services Committee, Mattis painted a
dark picture of Yemen. The general, who has worked with Yemen's military,
said the Saleh regime was threatened by revolts, a failing economy, poor
security and dwindling crude oil reserves, Middle East Newsline reported.
"Six years of intermittent conflict in northwest Yemen between the
Yemeni government and Houthi [Shi'ite] rebels threatens stability," Mattis
said during his confirmation hearing in July 2010.
The Centcom assessment said Saleh's authority has begun to wane. Mattis
cited the resurgence of Al Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula as well as the
Iranian-backed Believing Youth movement. Washington has allocated more than
$150 million in military and security aid to Sanaa for fiscal 2010, which
ends in October.
In his testimony, Mattis said Yemen would require additional U.S.
military aid. He stressed that such aid must be accompanied by civilian
assistance meant to improve Yemeni government services.
"We must work with Yemen to not only build military and intelligence
capacity, but we must also encourage, and where possible, provide
development, humanitarian and technical assistance," Mattis said. "A
long-term whole of government commitment to Yemen and its people, especially
activities that assist Yemen in providing good governance and services to
its people, will be most effective in bolstering government capacity,
increasing stability and denying havens to extremists."
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