Yemen in 5,4,3,2.......

[tinman0]

http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/02/02/us-yemen...

Looks like Yemen is next! President is making plans for an exit. (Albeit in 2 years).

[Puggit]

Yemen is a worry. They have a large al-qaeda movement and a separate uprising to deal with and the country is far more at risk of turning in to something nasty.

[FourWheelDrift]

Yemen's small oil reserves are said to be running out in the next 5-6 years. Which is their only source of serious income, yet they are still very poor. When that goes it'll be anarchy so we do have to do something soon to stabilise that area either directly or indirectly via Saudi Arabia. Being where it is geographically any anarchy could seriously effect shipping through Suez to a higher degree than Somalia currently does.

Of course when I said "we" I mean the UN. We sure as hell aren't going to be doing anything on our own again or with our speshal friends only. Not while Obama is still there.

[Biggles111]

I am currently in Yemen (left Cairo last Wednesday just as things were kicking off there). Locals in Yemen are quite worried, expats less so as most of us were already at a high alert state.

The situation is very different to Egypt though as there it was the urban population who wanted change. Here it is the pro-islamist rural population who want change. Facebook, twitter etc are relatively unknown amongst the rural population, although there is an element of copying tactics from Egypt.

Tomorrow's event sounds quite large, so am off to stock up on provisions 'in case'...The President has done his best to pre-empt any issues though so will hopefully prevail - Yemen of all places needs stability at this time.

[Mermaid]

State of emergency declared, 39 killed..
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-127835...


Just impose a no-fly over the whole of the Middle East (except Israel of course).

Edited by Mermaid on Friday 18th March 19:35

[davepoth]

Saudi Arabia is probably pulling strings in Yemen too. We're going to have a row with them fairly soon I think.

[Mermaid]

davepoth said:

Saudi Arabia is probably pulling strings in Yemen too. We're going to have a row with them fairly soon I think.

The UK/US need to sequester all Saudi assets abroad, and of course its oil fields.

[Victor McDade]

davepoth said:

Saudi Arabia is probably pulling strings in Yemen too. We're going to have a row with them fairly soon I think.

Saudi Arabia and Iran have been fighting a proxy war in Yemen, on and off, for quite a while now.

Sometimes I think we're backing the wrong block. Iran, minus Ahmedi Nijad & the Mullahs would make a much better friend than the Wahabi dominated states like Saudi Arabia. As we move forward and these leaders leave I would not be surprised to see us allying with Iran/Iraq (the Shiite block) more so than their Sunni neighbours.

Edited by Victor McDade on Friday 18th March 19:47

[davepoth]

+1. Iranians as a people are far more western aligned than the rest of the Middle East; certainly it's been that way in my dealings out there. If they could get rid of their mental government Iran would be a good friend, with lots of oil. Then we can make Saudi go and play on its own.

[Blib]

davepoth said:

Saudi Arabia is probably pulling strings in Yemen too. We're going to have a row with them fairly soon I think.

About time too. And, while we're at it, let's "have a word" with Iran. The latter were out bestest mates before Khomeini (sp)

[Smiler.]

Biggles111 said:

I am currently in Yemen...........

Where abouts if you don't mind me asking?

[ErnestM]

Some dust ups in Syria as well...

http://www.cnn.com/2011/WORLD/meast/03/18/syria.ri...

Bashar is NOT his Dad, that's for sure. The real power is the military so I don't like the chances of these demonstrators.

[Mermaid]

ErnestM said:

Some dust ups in Syria as well...

http://www.cnn.com/2011/WORLD/meast/03/18/syria.ri...

Bashar is NOT his Dad, that's for sure. The real power is the military so I don't like the chances of these demonstrators.

Alphabet game here

We have B, E, L, S, T, Y - have I missed any .

[Mermaid]

This is how Saudis prevent/delay problems..... hand out money

http://english.aljazeera.net/news/middleeast/2011/...

[Jimbeaux]

davepoth said:

+1. Iranians as a people are far more western aligned than the rest of the Middle East; certainly it's been that way in my dealings out there. If they could get rid of their mental government Iran would be a good friend, with lots of oil. Then we can make Saudi go and play on its own.

Agreed.

[Mermaid]

Jimbeaux said:

davepoth said:

+1. Iranians as a people are far more western aligned than the rest of the Middle East; certainly it's been that way in my dealings out there. If they could get rid of their mental government Iran would be a good friend, with lots of oil. Then we can make Saudi go and play on its own.

Agreed.

Agreed. Interesting, none of the Muslims terrorists (9/11, 7/7, others) has been linked to Iran AFAIK.

[Prince Jefri]

Mermaid said:

Jimbeaux said:

davepoth said:

+1. Iranians as a people are far more western aligned than the rest of the Middle East; certainly it's been that way in my dealings out there. If they could get rid of their mental government Iran would be a good friend, with lots of oil. Then we can make Saudi go and play on its own.

Agreed.

Agreed. Interesting, none of the Muslims terrorists (9/11, 7/7, others) has been linked to Iran AFAIK.

We've banked that one for another day once Iraq, Libya, etc, etc....run out!

[Victor McDade]

Jimbeaux said:

davepoth said:

+1. Iranians as a people are far more western aligned than the rest of the Middle East; certainly it's been that way in my dealings out there. If they could get rid of their mental government Iran would be a good friend, with lots of oil. Then we can make Saudi go and play on its own.

Agreed.

Maybe I'm being a bit stereotypical here but I've always found Iranians less religiously centric than their Arab neighbours. Publicly most Iranians accept their Islamic identity, however, most are also aware of their pre-Islamic Persian identity which goes back thousands of years. They are not an artificially created state which needs religion as a centre point to control society and give them a sense of belonging.

Obviously post revolution the Ayatollahs and leaders like the current one are trying to change this, but personally I feel the change is temporary and when their next revolution comes it will be for the better.

Oh, and most that I've met love a good drink

[Mermaid]

Victor McDade said:

Oh, and most that I've met love a good drink

& the women are very good looking.

[davepoth]

Mermaid said:

& the women are very good looking.

The drinking is fairly epic I'm told. Tehran was a real party town for those with the means back in the 60s.

And on the women, I think it's the modicum of modesty that's so alluring.