Posted Oct. 17, 2011

In a land with eight coups d’état since 1948, Saleh's removal would not solve underlying challenges

National Security Project Senior Analyst Jonathan Ruhe explains the conflicts and complexities of Yemen—with or without President Ali Abdullah Saleh.

"Yemen is a largely tribal society with precious few resources and a rapidly growing population, and these harsh conditions—not the government—impose the strongest and most immediate burdens on the average citizen. However, Saleh’s reign exacerbates these problems and alienates much of the populace. Thus his opponents have become more numerous and aggravated the longer and more blatantly he clings to power, though his abdication would neither solve the country’s underlying challenges nor seal its fissures."

Read the full article online at The National Interest.

Related Posts

• The Horror of a Post-Saleh Yemen, June 9, 2011
• The Importance of the Attack on Yemen's Presidential Palace, June 3, 2011
• Why Yemen’s Saleh Believes He Can Stay, April 19, 2011

Foreign Policy Project, Stabilizing Fragile States Initiative