Friday, June 18, 2010

Stability and Development in Yemen: A Regional Approach

Much like the CEFIP's "Yemen on the Brink" series, the Chatham House has recently inaugurated the "Yemen Forum." I have yet to look through all the documents, but Ginny Hill has been an important contributor to Yemeni scholarship recently.

American Barred From Coming Home

Here's an interesting article that ran in the Washington Post yesterday about a U.S. Citizen who has been barred from re-entry into the U.S. as a result of his having studied in Yemen. Of interest was CAIR's comment: "We are concerned that FBI interrogations of American citizens in a condition of forced exile are being conducted without due process," wrote Nihad Awad, the council's executive director. "If the FBI wishes to question American citizens, they should be allowed to return to the United States where they will be able to maintain their constitutional rights free of threats or intimidation."

Wednesday, June 16, 2010

"The Oath," by Laura Poitras

Stephanie and I were at Coolidge Corner this Saturday to see this documentary which was intended to be a study of Salim Hamdan - a Yemeni who was the former driver to Osama bin Laden held at Guantanamo Bay. Instead, the story revolved around his brother-in-law, Abu Jandal, a former al-Qaeda member and jihadist who was 'reformed' after incarceration in a Yemeni prison from 2000-2002. This documentary is a "must-see." Unfortunately, it only runs at the Coolidge through tomorrow. The show times are here: see it if you can!