In Yemen, US hands are tied in al-Qaida fight

Corruption, an inefficient security force and an intoxicating plant that keeps most men in Yemen high for up to six hours a day all stand in the way of America's battle against al-Qaida's Yemen wing, which is believed responsible for a plot to mail bombs to the United States.

The plot to send parcels packed with explosives to two Chicago-area synagogues underlined the creativity of the Yemen-based militants as they try to penetrate the West's anti-terror defenses, taking advantage of a culture of impunity at home as well as the relatively relaxed security on cargo flights. (AP)