Wednesday Papers

The new issue of the Arab Reform Bulletin is out, and it has an article on the delaying of the elections in Yemen. Marine Poirier gives an overview of the rhetoric on both sides, with this as the main paragraph, answering the question everyone wants to know:

Why then did the GPC suddenly give in? Apparently the cost of contesting the elections alone, or at least without its institutionalized and legitimate opponent, was too high. President Ali Abdullah Salih and his party could not afford to hold such questionable polls in view of the country’s unsteady internal situation and pressures by international actors. Rather, the ruling elite seem to have opted for inclusion of the opposition and pacification of the political scene. GPC officials characterized the decision as having been taken with the interests of the nation in mind.


I think there is more going on then just this, but then I don’t necessarily have an answer so ….

Also there is a new article from the AFP on al-Qaeda in Marib. Trey is disappointed, and sure there are the usual journalistic cliches, but I have to say I was more impressed than I usually am with these type of articles. At least it mentioned the fact that while Yemen is important, the al-Qaeda presence in the country is not on the same level of a place like Afghanistan, Iraq .

The trial of 16 al-Qaeda suspects starts today, including those of two individuals captured in the raid that killed Hamza al-Qu’ayti back in August 2008.

‘Abd al-Malik al-Huthi has some strong words for the government, warning that another war will end in “failure and defeat.”

(Internal note:)
I don’t have time to read this article, but I’m flagging it here mostly so I will read it later today, especially with Islah’s fourth general congress currently taking place.