President Barack Obama once said the country of Yemen was a model of success for other Middle Eastern countries on how to combat terrorism. Yemen now faces turmoil and is on the brink of civil war.
Meet the Press host Chuck Todd said Yemen was "once touted as a success" by Obama but now is "spinning out of control."
During his address on Islamic State threat last September, Obama said, "This strategy of taking out terrorists who threaten us, while supporting partners on the front lines, is one that we have successfully pursued in Yemen and Somalia for years."
The president’s strategy has been largely unsuccessful. On Saturday, U.S. Special Forces withdrew from the country as Iranian backed rebels took control of Taiz, the country’s third-largest city. The president of Yemen, who fled the capital in January, is now urging intervention from the international community.