Sana, Yemen

...the increasing civilian toll of drone strikes is turning the apathy of tribal factions into anger.

The strikes have created an opportunity for terrorist groups like Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula and Ansar al-Sharia to recruit fighters from tribes who have suffered casualties, especially in Yemen’s south, where mounting grievances since the 1994 civil war have driven a strong secessionist movement.

Unlike Al Qaeda in Iraq, A.Q.A.P. has worked on gaining the support of local communities by compromising on some of their strict religious laws and offering basic services, electricity and gas to villagers in the areas they control. Furthermore, Iran has seized this chance to gain more influence among the disgruntled population in Yemen’s south.

[...]

Certainly, there may be short-term military gains from killing militant leaders in these strikes, but they are minuscule compared with the long-term damage the drone program is causing. A new generation of leaders is spontaneously emerging in furious retaliation to attacks on their territories and tribes.

[...]

Only a long-term approach based on building relations with local communities, dealing with the economic and social drivers of extremism, and cooperating with tribes and Yemen’s army will eradicate the threat of Islamic radicalism.

i've been saying the same thing myself since i first started working in afghanistan and saw for myself the reality of the situation on the ground...

and of course how could i put up a post on this subject without referencing glenn...
What’s most amazing to me about this discussion is how it is simultaneously (a) so obvious (apparently, when you bomb people and constantly kill civilians, you make them want to attack you back: who knew?) and yet (b) so impervious to evidence and reason. It doesn’t matter how much proof you supply that this is true, that U.S. militarism and interference in the Muslim world is largely responsible for the very Terrorism problem that is invoked to justify them. It makes little difference.

afghanistan isn't yemen but there's enough similarity that we're not talking apples and oranges...the people i've come to know in afghanistan have no ax to grind against the american people but they do have plenty to say about our totally screwed up foreign policy and is it any wonder...? and now we've heard it straight from a yemeni...

and, let me add, since, as glenn says, it is so frickin' OBVIOUS that what we're doing with the drone strikes is increasing the likelihood of terrorists attacks against us, i can't help but wonder, yet again, if we are engaging in these atrocities precisely BECAUSE that will be the result, thus perpetuating the endless war scenario and keeping the money flowing into the pockets of those who benefit most...