US General: Pullout From Yemen Is ‘Worrisome’

Laments Loss of Yemen as Base for US 'Training'

by Jason Ditz,

Special Operations Commander Gen. Joseph Votel today said it was of “very great concern” that the US military had to withdraw all of its ground troops from war-torn Yemen, and that he is still trying to figure out a way to “compensate” for the loss.

Following the collapse of the Hadi government in January, and the president’s resignation, the US ultimately withdrew the last of its ground troops in March, not long before Saudi Arabia attacked the country.

Gen. Votel says Yemen is a great loss as a base for US “training” and “advising,” and the lack of troops on the ground poses a great dilemma for special operations forces.

Administration officials have insisted that in spite of the loss of ground troops, they will continue to carry out drone strikes against targets inside Yemen. In addition, the US is cooperating in the Saudi war.

http://news.antiwar.com/2015/05/01/us-general-pullout-from-yemen-is-worrisome/