Report: U.S. steps up covert strikes in Yemen

WASHINGTON - The New York Times says the Obama administration has intensified the covert U.S. war in Yemen, hitting militant suspects with armed drones and fighter jets.

The newspaper says the accelerated campaign has occurred in recent weeks as conflict in Yemen has left the government there struggling to cling to power.

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The report, posted on the newspaper's website late Wednesday, says Yemeni troops who had been battling militants linked to al Qaeda in the south have been pulled back to the capital. American officials hope the strikes will help prevent militants from consolidating power.

A drone strike by U.S. special operations forces on May 5 targeted U.S.-born al Qaeda cleric Anwar al-Awlaki, but missed, two U.S. officials told The Associated Press.

The officials spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss intelligence matters.

The Times report notes there is a risk that opposing tribes and factions within Yemen could be feeding U.S. officials false information on the presence of Islamic militants in hopes of prompting American strikes against their domestic enemies.

Meanwhile, Yemen's Defense Ministry claimed Thursday that government troops had killed 12 suspected al Qaeda militants in the troubled southern province of Abyan.

The ministry statement said the militants were killed in gunbattles with government troops in the province's Doves and Kod areas, but gave no other details.

A military official in Abyan said government troops were advancing on the provincial capital of Zinjibar, captured by militants last week.

The official spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to the media.

[Irby32]

Obama is busy ridding the world of terrorism...what's the GOP doing? Nothing.

[nottblu]

Obama is simply carrying on Bush's policies, the only differance is without the foaming at the mouth critisism from the left. Remember it was the GOP that believed the war on terror was real.

[justme2012]

Obama is bombing countries without congressional approval.

[skithebumps]

It's a darned good thing Obama won that Nobel Peace Prize because otherwise he'd have us fighting the Martians by now.

[HawkSpringsIsHere]

After getting us in at least two more wars, they'll probably give him another one.

[you_MAY_be_right]

Some of you repubs are so d@mn ignoratn.

If McCain/Palin were in charge we'd be in wars with Iran, Iraq, Libya, Syria, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Yemen, and they'd be thinking about starting **** with Lebanon by now. After all, that is the way "Mavericks" would act. Your anti-BHO trant is tiring and dumb.

[nottblu]

One can clearly remember the critisism laid on the hated bush, "the war on terror is made up" "boo scared of the big bad terrorists" "Terrorists are not in Iraq" in other words "cherry picking" where terorists reside in the middle east ignoring the fact they are everywhere. "It was the Saudi's that flew the planes into the twin towers", "Bush aided the escape of the bin laden family right after 911", "911 was an inside job" "building number seven was taken down with planted explosives" Now that Obama is directing this ongoing war on terror he has kept GITMO open, re-instated the patriot act, carried on with Bush's plan and even expanded it, there is no critisism coming from the left?????? Why is that? Because at the end off the day, Bush was right, Obama knows it and is carrying on the same strategy, and all those critisizing libs and there one-liners were WRONG which equates to "crickets".

[HawkSpringsIsHere]

And remember the daily news reports on Cindy Sheehan, and the news coverage of all the Anti-war protests??
Funny how that has all gone away under Obama.

[justme2012]

5 wars.

We are actively shooting in Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iraq, Libya and Yemen.

[Donald Fraser Miles]

Covert special forces operations such as are stated to be now occurring in Yemen are the best future for warfare against Al Kaeda. The use of large land armies are an expensive and imprecise method of warfare against Al Kaeda.

[HawkSpringsIsHere]

Give cBSnews some credit; they actually reported on it, although they have kinda hidden it in their webpage.
I can't even find it on MSNBC or ABCNEWS.

[FreshxWater]

Incredible! We have wars in Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Yemen, Philippines, and Columbia. Are there any others I'm leaving out? At home we'd had millions with their home swindled from them. Banksters ripped of public workers investment funds and no investigation. Depression unemployment. My state has closed 50 schools with 50 more up to close this year: (the future of our country). The roads in my area are so chewed up you need a 4-wheel drive to get around. And our country is literally on fire... And the Corporate Media spends all their resources talking about Weiner! The Corporate Media needs to be shut down!

[you_MAY_be_right]

Wars in Columbia and the Phillippines?

[justme2012]

Yes, Obama in 2009 increased our troops in both Columbia and the Phillipines. You don't remember that?

[Atlas_Shrugged_2010]

Hey you folks on the left, how about that Hope and Chnage? War number four, how's that sound to you and it's your guy doing it. Why are we goofing around calling it war four when it is one big (and getting bigger) war with 4 fronts. I suppose you could split it and call one the African Theater and the other the Mideast Theater of operations. This is ridiculous and in my past I thought of myself as a Hawk. But this is just getting ridiculous and has got to stop because, just where does it stop. George Orwell was right but a couple decades too late in his timing and just you wait and see, this is just getting started.

[thechooch1]

Atlas_Shrugged_2010 it certainly won't stop if we sit back and let al Qaeda dictate what happens will it? If they are terrorists, and yes they are, shouldn't we kill them where they are?

[HawkSpringsIsHere]

Why hasn't the media been reporting War Number Four til today??
Why has the media been keeping us in the dark on the fact that Obama has gotten us into Two New Wars?
Where is the outcry?
Where are the Anti-war protesters?
Oh yeah, they work for Obama now.

[thechooch1]

HawkSpringsIsHere come on, you know this post of yours is hogwash. You should be happy we are going after al Qaeda instead of complaining. Weren't a couple of attacks planned on the USA planned in Yemen? Drones hardly constitute a war, boots on the ground do that.

[Atlas_Shrugged_2010]

Hey Chooch, so you support this with the lame claim we are fighting Al Qaeda? Do a little research we are helping Al Qaeda in these revolts. Both sides are dirty and in the end we are helping Al Qaeda get a foothold. They aren't stupid, they will be happy to accept U.S. help and then later turn on us like they did after we helped them kick the Russians out of Afghanistan. Clinton helped Muslims in Bosnia. We helped Muslims in Gulf War I, but I don't see Muslims saying thanks and it's just the opposite. I don't claim to have the answers but pleeeeeeze don't gag and swallow everything the media tells you.

[nasadawg]

Everyone needs to email or call their Rep. and start asking questions. The People of this country want out of all of this. We can pick off the bad guys one at a time. This is only making things bad. No good will come out of this. Or any of the other four wars we are in. Call or write TODAY.

[thechooch1]

nasadawg yeah, we should just sit back and let al Qaeda plan attacks on us from Yemen. Great idea. Then when we do get a terrorist attack you will be yelling why didn't we do something to stop it.

[pdreina]

Just keep repeating to yourselves: "they hate our freedom, they hate our freedom"