Tag: Yemen

Lingering questions regarding the ill-fated Yemen mission—the first one in that country since 2014—have prompted calls for a congressional investigation into how the operation was planned and approved so early in the Trump administration’s tenure, rather than relying solely on a Pentagon inquiry, which is customary yet could take months and never be made public. Long Island’s delegation is split over the issue. Meanwhile, the United States launched new airstrikes in Yemen Wednesday night.

The Yemen raid, the first known covert military operation approved by President Donald Trump, is justified under the ever-evolving interpretation of the 2001 Authorization to Use Military Force (AUMF).

Prosecutors said Kaliebe was arrested when he tried to board a flight to Yemen to join al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula [AQAP]. The FBI had been monitoring Kaliebe long before he tried to board a plane at John F. Kennedy Airport, where he was arrested.

Fifteen years after the Sept. 11, 2001 terror attacks, America's War on Terror has expanded drastically, and with it, the interpretation of the Authorization to Use Military Force (AUMF), which gave the president the initial power to mobilize US Armed Forces against those responsible. Yet, America is no closer to ending that open-ended war than when it began, and its endless state is prompting serious questions about the legality of the recent initiatives waged against ISIS, and whether safeguards are in place to prevent a single person—President Obama or his successors—from committing America to perpetual warfare.

The memo greenlighted government operations to take out Anwar Al-Awlaki, a U.S. citizen. Khan, a Long Island-native, was also killed.

Among the many issues the president delved into Tuesday night were immigration, veterans affairs, climate change and gun control, all of which concern Long Islanders.