Yemen move unlikely to end US strikes

SANAA: Yemen’s Parliament has voted for a ban on drone strikes, but experts said Monday lawmakers have limited powers and their vote is unlikely to impact Washington’s bid to crush Al-Qaeda militants.
Yemen’s Parliament, which is dominated by the party of ousted president Ali Abdullah Saleh and the Islah party, voted on Sunday in favor of halting drone attacks.
MPs say the vote is a recommendation short of adopting a law, which came days after a drone strike reportedly targeting Al-Qaeda militants killed 17 people, mostly civilians, triggering outrage.
“Parliament appears to be giving orders to authorities, when it has lost its credibility long time ago,” said political analyst Abdelbari Tahar.
A Yemeni political official speaking on condition of anonymity said the vote is a “challenge” to interim President Abdu Rabbo Mansur Hadi who took over when Saleh agreed to step down in 2012 after a year of protests against his 33-year rule.
“This vote appears to be an attempt by the followers of the former president to put pressure on Hadi, more than it is a real legislative action,” the official said.
“It is a kind of challenge to Hadi,” who has cemented Sanaa’s partnership with Washington in the fight against Al-Qaeda.
“The government could ignore this vote without any consequences to worry about,” said the official.