As violence continues to escalate in the Middle East analysts in the United States are wondering what the best approach to achieving security in the region might be. In wake of the rocket attack of a convoy of British embassy personnel which took place in the Yemeni capital of San’a recently the United States is considering a proposal to dedicate $1.2 billion to upgrading their military presence there over the next six years with increased equipment and training in order to better combat the threat of al-Qaida in Yemen.
Those critical of the ‘more money for guns’ approach wonder if the cause might be better served, as well as being more cost-effective to take a more global or holistic approach; a position which has at its root the improvement of such basic societal issues as economic development and internal stability, not just in Yemen but in the entire region.
Indeed, the two approaches are not mutually exclusive and can be worked into a unified program which will most likely have better results than either of the approaches worked alone.