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 The collapse of the U.S.-backed government of Yemen on Thursday
has left America's counter-terrorism campaign "paralyzed", two U.S.
security officials said, dealing a major setback to Washington's
fight against al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP), a potent
wing of the militant network.
Three U.S. officials said the halt in operations included drone
strikes, at least temporarily, following the abrupt resignation of
the president, prime minister and cabinet amid mounting fears the
Arab world's poorest country was veering toward civil war.
The U.S. move underscores another setback for President Barack
Obama's Middle East policy and raises doubts about a
counter-terrorism strategy that has relied on drone warfare and
often shaky foreign partners to avoid sending large U.S. ground
forces to battle militant threats far from American shores.
Many U.S. personnel work with Yemeni forces at the southern al-Annad
airbase, an intelligence post for monitoring the Yemeni affiliate of
al Qaeda, or AQAP, which claimed responsibility for attacks this
month in Paris that killed 17 people.
 Other U.S. officials, speaking to Reuters on condition of anonymity,
said the situation on the ground was fluid and described the halt as
a temporary measure to assess chaotic conditions on the ground.
White House press secretary Josh Earnest said the United States
wanted to continue its close counter-terrorism cooperation with
Yemen and was committed to pursuing its strategy there.
"I don’t have any policy changes to announce at this point," he told
reporters.
The United States has killed dozens of suspected AQAP fighters and
leaders with drone strikes and officials fear that the growing chaos
in the country will give the group more space to plan and launch
attacks on Western targets.
"It would mean that AQAP would have a much freer hand in parts of
the country," said Lorenzo Vidino, author of "Al Qaeda in Europe"
and an analyst at the Institute for the International Political
Studies in Italy.
"That means more ability to plan attacks against the U.S."
"TOUCH AND GO"
Along with Pakistan, Yemen has been an important strategic location
for U.S. drone attacks on al Qaeda figures.
Nineteen U.S. drone strikes killed 124 militants and four civilians
in Yemen in 2014, according the New America Foundation, which
maintains a database of drone operations. The last deadly drone
strike was an attack that killed nine suspected al Qaeda militants
on Dec. 6, it said.
A new government could withdraw tacit approval for U.S. drone
strikes, leaving Washington with a tough decision to make about
whether to launch unilateral strikes against AQAP.
 Rear Admiral John Kirby, the Pentagon press secretary, said the
disputed government in Yemen did not necessarily prevent the United
States from engaging in counter-terrorism operations.
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"We recognize we need to get a much better understanding of where
things are going politically in Yemen before we can make any new
decisions or move forward in any significant way on
counter-terrorism in Yemen," Kirby told a Pentagon briefing.
Kirby later said it would be "wrong to conclude" the United States
had stopped focusing on the terrorist threat in Yemen "or that we
won’t take action if and when necessary."
Alistair Baskey, a spokesman for the White House National Security
Council, later issued a statement, saying, "The political
instability in Yemen has not forced us to suspend counterterrorism
operations," and adding, "We also continue to partner with Yemeni
security forces."
Another official said it would be incorrect to characterize the
counter-terrorism partnership as fully "ceased." "What the future
holds? I don't know. It's touch and go right now," the official
said.
"DEATH TO AMERICA"
The collapse of Hadi’s government threatens to upturn Obama's policy
toward a country he hailed just four months ago as a model for
“successful” partnerships in the fight against Islamic militancy.
The administration confirmed on Thursday that it had pulled more
U.S. staff from its embassy in the capital Sanaa due to the
deteriorating security situation after the Houthi rebels battled
their way into Hadi's presidential palace.
A former senior U.S. official said that Yemeni authorities for now
“will be much more focused on what goes on in the capital Sanaa than
what goes on with al Qaeda in the countryside.”
The Shi'ite Muslim Houthi rebels are enemies of AQAP, a Sunni
Islamist militant group. But they also oppose the United States, a
fact on display during rallies on Friday in Sanaa, where thousands
gathered with placards calling for "Death to America, Death to
Israel."
"Hadi was a unique figure who not only tolerated drone strikes, he
welcomed them," said Bruce Riedel, director of the Brookings
Institution think tank's Intelligence Project.
"I don't think we're going to have that kind of enthusiastic partner
in the foreseeable future," Riedel added, saying the United States
may be left dealing with fractured, competing institutions in Yemen,
with varying attitudes toward Washington.
(Additional reporting by Phil Stewart, Matt Spetalnick and David
Rohde; Editing by Jason Szep, Stuart Grudgings and Clarence
Fernandez)
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