First, something positive: there is an excellent op-ed in today’s New York Times by Greg Johnson on the situation in Yemen.

And now for something completely different… Now the “duh” moment. Here is a headline that deserves all the possible bad things one can say about an ignorant and stupid headline:
“Yemen’s Government Poised to Fall to the Muslim Brotherhood and Al-Qaeda ?” The source I consulted is the Right Side News, where “right” certainly does not make “right”. It would be quite a major event if Yemen was taken over by the Muslim Brotherhood, since it does not have any kind of presence there. Of course if most Muslims are radical and all radical Muslims are the same, it hardly matters to someone like the ludicrous ranting of someone like Robert Spencer (whose Islamophobic magazine rag is the ultimate source of this story). The article was posted Wednesday at 5:38, but over a full day later the prediction that Ali Abdullah Salih would be ousted in 24 hours was unfulfilled. Back to the drawing board or the Book of Daniel, perhaps? Is this regime change supposed to be before or after all the bible believing Christians are raptured away?

We are told in the article that: “Unless Saleh is able to fight a civil war, the leader will soon be gone, and an opening for Iranian proxies, the Muslim Brotherhood and Al-Qaeda, will be created.” Save the dictator or the caliphate rises up. I don’t really understand why Mr. Spencer is so against an Islamic haven in Yemen, since it would fit the scenarios he has been preaching for well over a decade. I should think he would welcome such a turn of events, so he could gloat. But what if Salih is replaced and the government that comes into power does not want to roll back the clock to the 7th century? Perish the thought.

Get ready for Iran II? “Sheikh Abdul Majid al-Zindani, has been sanctioned by the U.S. Treasury Department for his involvement with Al-Qaeda and he is also connected to Hamas and the Brotherhood’s Sheikh Yousef al-Qaradawi. The group also supports creating a religious police to “promote virtue and combat vice.”” All that is needed is to add Satan into the mix, which a number of conservative Bible belters are only too eager to do. Exit a dictator and who else but a raving cleric to take the helm. It does not matter that this self-made demigogue has a rather limited following among Yemenis. It’s like all the bad Indian tribes of the Great Plains have come together to kill General Custer, and there is the evil mastermind, a Muslim Sitting Bull. This is a well-worn plot that Hollywood and Mr. Spencer have trotted out over and over again.

It gets even better: “The heavily-armed Shiite Houthi rebels in the north that spearheaded an Iranian proxy war against the Yemeni and Saudi governments will have an opportunity to establish a stronghold and perhaps even an autonomous region. Al-Qaeda has 300 to 500 operatives in Abyan, Shabwan (sic) and Marib Provinces and the population is largely unconcerned with the terrorist group. Anwar al-Awlaki comes from one of the largest tribes in Yemen who have thus far declined to arrest him.” Heavily armed? Really? And how exactly did all these heavy arms get into their hands? Could they have heavy arms and weak feet? Ah, an Iran proxy war, because Iran wants to rule the Islamic world and then export their virtue/vice brigade to destroy our democracies and veil our women. I suspect such squads are most needed in liberal Saudi Arabia to Yemen’s immediate north. And, oh my God (or pick a God), there are perhaps as many as 300-500 operatives in a country of 23 million! Reminds me of good old judge Gideon or David and his sling. It really is amazing how a few folk with some God’s help can destroy an entire army. It makes great cinema and feeds the fears of those who like to feel high and righty.

And then there is Mr. Anwar al-Awlaqi who is being protected by his own tribe. Considering that most Yemenis have only heard about him from the Western media and do not follow his online sermons in English, it might seem a bit silly for any of this “tribal” kin to arrest him. To hand him over to someone outside the tribe? And who exactly is he, anyway? To be pragmatic, his tribe is New Mexico, where he grew up. The history of such exchanges does not generally work in favor of the tribe or justice to the individuals involved.

But back to the Muslim Brotherhood. They actually have a name in Arabic “Ikhwan al-Muslimin.” It sounds a lot scarier in English, especially among folks who rarely think of anything positive to say about Muslims. Since they are not based in Yemen, their envisioned rise to power will be meteoric, if nothing short of miraculous.

Then there is the author. Not a reporter on the ground, nor someone actually trained to be a serious journalist. Rather we learn that Mr. Ryan Mauro is the founder of WorldThreats.com, the National Security Adviser for the Christian Action Network and an analyst with Wikistrat. Hey, it’s not just those bothersome Muslim Brothers; the Commies are still out there and there are threats everywhere you look, including your own backyard and especially in the White House these days. And isn’t it nice to know that Christians have their own National Security Advisor? What ever happened to Jesus and the Holy Ghost (did they really take the last train to the coast?). American pie in the sky for the great by and by? Now there is a headline for you…

Luke R. E. Publican