Yemeni Activist Awarded Nobel Prize

Tawakul Karman, Democracy activist and member of Islah, was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize Yesterday. Great news that I hope will bring more attention to the plight of the average Yemeni.

Yemen needs more from allies than status quo

A great National editorial today:

The money quote: "Short-sighted security goals may play well with American voters, but they get Yemenis nowhere." The fact is that American voters are largely unaware of what is happening in Yemen. If they knew, it wouldn't sit well with them either.

Laura Kasinof's last Four Articles on Yemen in the NYT

She's a brilliant writer, writing about a beautiful country:

September 17th: Clashes Erupt in Yemen, and a Sit-In Is Attacked

September 18th: Protesters Shot, Starting Battle in Yemen Capital

September 19th: Clashes Erupt for 2nd Day in Yemeni Capital, as Troops Fight Defectors

September 20th: Mortars Fall on Yemeni Capital as Battles Continue

Is Anybody Listening?!?!

Marc Lynch has just published an article in Foreign Policy called "The Costs of Ignoring Yemen." Sadly, I think the USG will continue to ignore Yemen, as the costs incurred by the current administration are negligible.

Today, Sana'a International Airport was closed for the first time since demonstrations began early in the year. Yesterday, Yemeni security forces opened fire on peaceful protesters with anti-aircraft weaponry.

Yemen’s Leader Vows to Return Soon and Defies Calls for His Ouster

Wow! This is such exciting news!

Yemeni Opposition Groups Establish National Governing Council

You know, just because the opposition says it's going to establish a council doesn't mean they will. This must be the hundredth or so announcement of this type out of Yemen in the last 100 days.

Anyone else getting tired of this?

Yemeni Air Force Bombs Yemeni Republican Guard

As reported by the Yemen Post:

“The government did not stand quiet when the guards refused orders to clash with tribes and officials in the republican guards felt it was necessary that those who disobey orders are killed,” the official said.

The big question, however, is whether the pilots were Yemeni or, as reported, Iraqi mercenaries doing the regime's dirty work.

Sad Cartoon in Yemen Times

The most recent cartoon at www.yementimes.com/ says it all:

The Best Analysis on Yemeni Protests (and the JMP's Role) Thus Far

This excellent article by Professor Yadav seeks to make an important distinction that seems to be lost in the close to six months of protests that have rocked Yemen: the JMP is not the Janus face of the ruling regime. My favorite excerpt is this:

For over a decade, the organized political opposition has sought to substantially reform the political regime in Yemen and to replace Saleh through legal and non-violent mechanisms. This opposition, the Joint Meeting Parties (JMP), is itself a cross-ideological umbrella of religious parties, socialists, and other leftist nationalists. Indeed, it is so ideologically diverse that issues of procedural and institutional reform have, for a long time, been all that the groups can agree to pursue in common. The Youth revolutionaries' critique of the JMP has centered on its gradual and incremental approach, and its perceived neglect of grassroots. Alienated over time from constituencies outside of Sana'a, the JMP had difficulty articulating a common position on the Huthi crisis, all but missed the emergence of the Southern movement, and was able to carve out only minimal concessions from an encroaching regime. In other words, until a mobilizing push came from Cairo and Tunis and they began to organize (reformist, but not revolutionary) protests of their own in January, the JMP appeared to be teetering on obsolescence.

I want to thank Stacey Philbrick Yadav for an incredibly insightful article. It sheds light on the potential for the opposition in Yemen to play a part in the future success of Yemen.

"We did not expect Washington's stance to be so weak"

Looks like Saleh is set to return to Yemen this Sunday to ensure that "the ruling family" retains their portion of power, come what may. If this article truly gets at the heart of the Obama Administration's tepidity, what a sad state of affairs.

Russia Today's CrossTalk: Yemen Descends