Qassem al-Raymi, we hardly knew ye

Reports out of Yemen indicate that one of Yemen’s most wanted, Qassem al-Raymi, was killed in a Yemeni airstrike today. As is often the case, Gregory Johnsen has the best English-language bio of al-Raymi in town: He was the long-time deputy to Nasir al-Wuhayshi, the head of al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP), and ...

Reports out of Yemen indicate that one of Yemen's most wanted, Qassem al-Raymi, was killed in a Yemeni airstrike today. As is often the case, Gregory Johnsen has the best English-language bio of al-Raymi in town: He was the long-time deputy to Nasir al-Wuhayshi, the head of al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP), and reportedly trained in Afghanistan in the late 1990s, where he met Osama bin Laden.

Reports out of Yemen indicate that one of Yemen’s most wanted, Qassem al-Raymi, was killed in a Yemeni airstrike today. As is often the case, Gregory Johnsen has the best English-language bio of al-Raymi in town: He was the long-time deputy to Nasir al-Wuhayshi, the head of al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP), and reportedly trained in Afghanistan in the late 1990s, where he met Osama bin Laden.

A few obvious caveats: This isn’t the first time that newspapers have reported al-Raymi’s demise — until AQAP confirms it, there is going to be a lingering question mark over the event. Second, whether this was really a "Yemeni airstrike," rather than a U.S. drone strike, is going to be the subject of much debate in Washington D.C. and Sanaa in the days to come. I fully concede that I have no inside knowledge of what actually occurred in the far-flung regions of northern Yemen where this attack took place. However, given what we know about the relative capacity of U.S. airpower and the Yemeni air force, I’d bet my money that a U.S. drone pilot in Virginia pulled the trigger.

More from Foreign Policy

Newspapers in Tehran feature on their front page news about the China-brokered deal between Iran and Saudi Arabia to restore ties, signed in Beijing the previous day, on March, 11 2023.
Newspapers in Tehran feature on their front page news about the China-brokered deal between Iran and Saudi Arabia to restore ties, signed in Beijing the previous day, on March, 11 2023.

Saudi-Iranian Détente Is a Wake-Up Call for America

The peace plan is a big deal—and it’s no accident that China brokered it.

Austin and Gallant stand at podiums side by side next to each others' national flags.
Austin and Gallant stand at podiums side by side next to each others' national flags.

The U.S.-Israel Relationship No Longer Makes Sense

If Israel and its supporters want the country to continue receiving U.S. largesse, they will need to come up with a new narrative.

Russian President Vladimir Putin lays flowers at the Moscow Kremlin Wall in the Alexander Garden during an event marking Defender of the Fatherland Day in Moscow.
Russian President Vladimir Putin lays flowers at the Moscow Kremlin Wall in the Alexander Garden during an event marking Defender of the Fatherland Day in Moscow.

Putin Is Trapped in the Sunk-Cost Fallacy of War

Moscow is grasping for meaning in a meaningless invasion.

An Iranian man holds a newspaper reporting the China-brokered deal between Iran and Saudi Arabia to restore ties, in Tehran on March 11.
An Iranian man holds a newspaper reporting the China-brokered deal between Iran and Saudi Arabia to restore ties, in Tehran on March 11.

How China’s Saudi-Iran Deal Can Serve U.S. Interests

And why there’s less to Beijing’s diplomatic breakthrough than meets the eye.