Alwaght- The United Arab Emirates (UAE) reportedly has transferred six former Guantanamo prisoners to Yemen. They were among 19 suspects detained in Afghanistan and Pakistan after the 9/11 attacks, and were held in the UAE from 2015 to 2017, when the US released them from Guantanamo prison. Pieces of evidence show Abu Dhabi released and sent them to eastern Yemeni province of Hadhrahmaut under the cover of "rehabilitation." The UN experts argue that compulsory return of the former prisoners to Yemen is a violation of the international laws. But amid the current regional developments in West and Central Asia regarding the terrorist and takfiri groups and the balance of power of various actors, what does the UAE seek behind the move?
Three major developments imposing defeat on the American-Arab-Israeli camp
In explaining the reasons behind sending former Al-Qaeda prisoners to Yemen we should know that the American-Arab-Israeli camp that finds itself the top enemy of the Iran-led Axis of Resistance has sustained considerable defeat on an array of fronts. Firstly, after two decades of military presence, Washington has accepted the defeat and scheduled full withdrawal from Afghanistan by end of September. The exit from Central Asian country marks collapse of all Washington promises to fight extremism and establish a strong and democratic government in Afghanistan. In the past month, the Afghan army, which is supported and trained by the US military, failed to defend the cities and various borders of the country against the Taliban assaults, and Ashraf Ghani's government has been left in a state of suspense.
Secondly, just contrary to Saudi Arabia and its allies' plans to defeat Ansarullah, the leading revolutionary movement in Yemen, the battleground equations show that the Arab coalition has totally failed. Not only Ansarullah was not beaten but also now it is in the strongest possible condition since the start of war in 2015. Saudi Arabia, on the opposite side, has come under Yemeni missile and drone attacks several times to make it clear to all that Riyadh is unable to stop the Yemeni strikes, despite having multi-billion missile defense systems supplied by the US.
Thirdly, in the Iraqi political arena, after the decision of the Iraqi parliament to expel foreign troops from the country last year, the pressure of public opinion and political factions for the withdrawal of the American occupiers has increased as much as possible. Meanwhile, in the fourth and last round of strategic talks between Washington and Baghdad, the withdrawal of US troops by the end of this year has been approved. In such a situation, the Americans are clearly aware that there is no way forward awaiting them except expulsion from Iraq.
The American-Arab-Israeli camp is in a state of absolute defeat now and devoid of maneuvering power in the new developments. So, it seems to be reembracing its old strategy of empowering terrorism and creating crisis.
Yemen, setting of new scenario to spread takfirism
Amid the US-led camp's failure and Iraqi calls for expulsion of the American troops from Iraq, Washington and its allies seem to have returned to backing the terrorist groups. In the past years, Washington freed Al-Qaeda leaders secretly from Abu Ghraib prison and allowed them to found ISIS. Four years after ISIS project defeat in Iraq and Syria, the UAE, representing the US, is sending Al-Qaeda terrorist leaders to Yemen.
Giving publicity to release of six Al-Qaeda prisoners is for misleading the public opinion, however. The real number of the Al-Qaeda forces sent to Yemen exceeds several hundred. The ultimate goal is to set the foundations for expansion of Al-Qaeda and other fundamentalist groups in Yemen and then other crisis-hit countries like Iraq, Lebanon, and Afghanistan to create new ground for intervention in them.
