Conclusion

Yemen Round-Up

The following was written March 19th, thus is not current.

As I sit alone in a McDonald's in Rome, 12 hours after leaving my apartment in Yemen, I can't stem the tidal wave of memories rushing back during my first moments of post-Sana'a solitude. After replaying a few videos from the night that Mubarak resigned and the subsequent celebration-cum-protest that took place in Sana'a, there is so much to say about such a short period of time, yet perfectly impossible to recall everything.

I remember that night like it was yesterday; it was the first time I realized I was in a country where exciting things do happen. After having dinner with my Italian friends and a Saudi/Qatari acquaintance, we were walking back to our apartment on our cozy little side street when suddenly we were faced with a mob of protesters marching directly between us and our home. All of us being rookies at this, we were initially hesitant to do anything except stare dumbfoundedly at such a random sight; we had no news of Mubarak and no clue what was happening. After dipping off to a perpendicular street and letting the commencement pass us by, we saw our professors in the crowd, who also spotted us, and we decided it was safe to join. Thus began my first experience in a revolutionary environment. I won't recall everything that happened that night as it's already been written, but one of my favorite memories occurred while I was having the pleasure of riding atop an SUV in the midst of the march. I spotted a white fellow on the street, stopped and shooting pictures in a direction opposite to the crowd. It turned out to be who is now a good friend of mine, Carl. The image of him with his Nikon in perfect photographer's form is hopefully forever etched in memory; I was perplexed and curious as to who would be as crazy/foolhardy/taken-in-by-the-moment as me.

Afterwards, everything became a gradual escalation of tension, and later violence, continuing until the present time. We essentially waited daily for the next occurrence; usually, that was directly after the Friday prayers. Things would then quieten down for the subsequent few days, only to flare up again. This pattern of violence, followed by a prolonged absence of it, only for it to reoccur in a manner more impactful than before is what made Yemen and its future so difficult to call. Just when the protest movement seemed on the wane, it would re spawn more forceful than before. Even during the present time, sitting 12 hours removed from any updates on the situation, I am at a loss to make an accurate prediction of Yemen's future that I can have any confidence in.

Although I spent just over half my originally-scheduled stay there, it was still chock full of relationships and events I never expected. The people we met and the things we were witness to simply wouldn't have happened elsewhere. I suppose there's cause in stating that it is more wise to stay home and not expose oneself to inherit risk, yet no amount of time spent at any American university could have taught me what I learned in my 6 weeks in country. Was it dangerous? It certainly had the possibility of being so. Yet, there is a lot to be said for being street smart and sensing when not to stay somewhere. It helps, of course, when secret police walk up and explicitly suggest you to leave within the hour, but even during the post-Mubarak protest we missed violence and beatings by 15 minutes simply by acknowledging that it was time to go, and thus following suit . It is quite easy for one to sense when tensions begin to increase, and then it is a matter of being willing to risk one's life or not. We never were, and thus trouble never visited us. Furthermore, being neutral or even pro-whichever crowd you're with ensures a relative amount of safety. Being able to understand and sympathize with people pacifies them. How one sits in a university classroom and learns these skills, part of which are instinctual and part of which are honed, seems impossible for me to comprehend. Of course, every society needs diplomats who want to mingle with the upper echelons of the class structure in a well-protected and relatively safe environment, but just as crucial in today's socially-networked world are the foot soldiers who are willing not merely to tune in to Al-Jazeera but actually capture real-time footage to send to just such diplomats so they become cognizant of the real situation on the ground. This necessity will not go away in the near future, and people need to be experienced and trained in how to manage in such situations. Sitting in an office on a college campus and watching CNN may make oneself feel simultaneously safe and informed, yet this is exactly the bubble in which most Americans live. The dearth of objective citizens who are genuinely interested in the plight of a people and dedicated to giving them a global voice is a real cause for much of today's anti-American sentiment. Far too often we've preferred self-preserving manipulation over charity, a tactic that may be beneficial in the short-term, but the chickens will always come home to roost eventually. There is a real reason the outside world considers American media to be paltry in terms of global coverage; it's because we do not commit human resources to the developing world. This, in turn, causes an ignorance that is impossible to see clearly from, affecting both the perceptions made by our citizens as well as our foreign policy.

Even now, after a steep foreign-policy learning curve experienced by Obama and hit entire administration, American knowledge and sentiment is bathed in ignorance. It would be assumed that a self-evaluation would be undergone to see if there are ways in wish we could more-positively affect those Arabs striving for democratic change, yet a great ambivalence towards Yemen is being displayed by American media. Too often it is said that the U.S. Considers Yemen its greatest terror threat, yet nothing is mentioned about the perfect opportunity we have right now to fix that, without guns or financial expenditure. Yemenis are not terrorists and generally do not sympathize with al-Qaeda. When radical sheikh Zindani gave a speech at the university, flanked by unwelcome security guards carrying firearms, he was essentially booed offstage after calling for an Islamic caliphate to be established in the country. Hardly any foreign reporters were to be seen, and this was the Yemeni people in their natural environment expressing their true views. The U.S. Must take a gamble and side with the young people wanting to change their intensely tribalistic and not-too-developing society. Obama's strong condemnation of the acts by the current regime is a good first step, yet much money is giving to the Yemeni government, finances upon which Ali Abdullah Saleh relies heavily. If this financial aid were suspended, it would drive a massive wedge into his regime and cause him to re-think just how willing he is to keep on the current trajectory of government handouts to those whose loyalty is the most important thing to him. Instead, we hear sound-bite news clips of Yemen without seasoned, in-depth analysis, and the American people thus simply have no chance of seeing the country for what it is without going there.

Watching videos of the protest movement when there were only 2,000 people there, and the gates of the university were only about 100 yards away, it is astonishing to contrast that with the current size. Furthermore, the speed at which it escalated is quite impressive. Who, at that time, would have known that over 100 times that amount of people would be there only 1.5 weeks later, and over 50 people cumulatively would have been killed there to date? It is impossible now to get within a mile of the university, due to the number of protesters. A white statue, standing about 30 feet high was used at the backdrop of the speakers; now, it is the backdrop of a group of people spanning countless city blocks. And it all started there. I remember getting a call from a friend who seemed excited and, to be honest, quite exaggerative in his estimation of the number. When I arrived, I was disappointed at the small turn out. But, as they say, great oaks start from small acorns, and win or lose, that night was the start of a gathering of people that gained worldwide attention and currently has people thinking that Yemen is the next Libya. It is for this reason that, while I cannot say that Saleh will soon leave, I definitely cannot say with certainty that the movement will die out. These things tend to grow exponentially, and that still remains a possibility.

It's incredible, as memories come streaming back, to fathom some of the things that I got to see. Standing within 10 feet of Tawakul Karmon, the country's most famous woman because of her anti-government and about which have been written countless articles by some of the world's most-recognized newspapers, it was easy to get caught up in the moment and not fully appreciate how fortunate and rare these experiences were. When I asked someone who she was and the man told me, I remembered reading stories about her prior to my arrival, and suddenly my increased awareness added to my personal euphoria. Also within 10 feet of my was a live al-Jazeera camera streaming video of her and her entourage as they turned the anti-Mubarak celebration into an anti-government one. How I am supposed to go back to the United States and carry on my classroom studies will be a real test, but there are definitely things political and historical I can learn there that will make me better prepared if I am in the same situation again.

Before I went to Yemen, I was aware of protests taking place there, but I never expected that they'd factor into my daily life so crucially. I was expecting more of a cultural experience rather than a politico-revolutionary one, yet essentially all of my blog updates were related to the protest movement in some way. What has criminally gone unmentioned is the rich Yemeni heritage, of which they are very proud. Walking past countless Yemeni men wearing white thobes, colorful scarves, and a curved dagger called a jambayah was a daily occurrence that was probably taken for granted. Yemeni hospitality was everything I'd heard about, and more. The food was very pleasing as well, and the weather was always very accommodating, except on 3 occasions when dust storms from the nearby desert blanketed the mountain-ringed city. Walking along the sidewalk, people were genuinely interested in what we were doing in their country, and were always very pleased to hear we were there studying their language. Even during my daily trips to Tahrir Square, I never felt threatened. Although I was often an assumed journalist or soldier, no one ever threatened me or made me feel unwelcome. At worst, they were overzealous in their desire to tell me how gracious their president was, either uninformed or ignorant of the rampant corruption in his government. From an American perspective, Yemen is always portrayed as a breeding ground for terrorists where radicals are rife, yet I was never castigated for not being Muslim. Walking by mosques as they were emptying from mid-day prayers, no one ever seemed riled or inspired enough to attack the obvious foreigners walking by. I understand this flies in the face of what is reported in the United States, as I had to include that in my decision to study in the country, yet it is the truth I experienced on a daily basis.

Farewell

I leave in an hour, for better or worse. I know it's crazy to say, but I sincerely want to stay.

Everyone expected today to be interesting, simply for the fact it's Friday and stuff always goes down on Fridays. I didn't expect, however, attack helicopters to be buzzing our area only a few hundred feet off the ground, tires to be burnt and thus the protest to be located only about a mile from our apartment, or to hear every gunshot in a violent revelry that to date has killed approximately 35 and wounded an estimated 200 others. As of 2 hours ago, a state of emergency for the capital has been declared, street traffic is drastically down, and almost no businesses are open. Yemen, as I've said before, has a very schizophrenic nature; one day, it really does seem on the precipice of total anarchy, other days it is quite calm and uneventful. What Sana'anis will wake up to tomorrow is anyone's guess, but this really does have the feel, right now, of a country about to explode in a very violent manner. There are rumors circulating right now of a planned march on meidan tahrir (Liberation Square), and if this happens, the number of resulting dead and injured will dwarf the present number. Angers are becoming more and more inflamed, and people are running out excuses why not attack. As their friends and family have been shot and/or beaten, the threat of personal harm becomes less and less deterrent. How this bears out is unknown, yet Yemenis have a very violent history that is sure to resurface at some point; indeed, it already has, just not quite to the level that is possible.

I have been here 6 weeks, and today seems like the day that it has all been building up to. No one can no longer ignore the protesters and say they are just a noisy few. When the government imposes a state of emergency and begins debating a curfew, things have changed and pressures have been felt. The last report is that the student protesters have responded that the state of emergency is unconstitutional and will not be obeyed. They are most definitely cognizant of the path on which it will put the country, one of no return. One side has to give; both have bent but not broken. The hammer is beginning to meet the anvil and the true metal of the protesters and their convictions will be tested. How supported they become by the general populace will surely be the tipping point, according to most objective locals. What cannot be said for certainty is just to what lengths Saleh will go to preserve his grasp on power. Whether he is Qaddafi II is unknown, but what is known is the methods at which he forged his way to the top of Yemeni politics, and intimidation and violence definitely were among them. Whether age has mellowed him, or if he becomes desperate to see out his years as de facto dictator will be discovered in the coming days and weeks. As more violence is wrought upon protesters, attention will be increasingly focused on Yemen by Al-Jazeera. In my opinion, as someone who has spent 6 weeks here, be that many or few, I'm not so doubtful of the prospects of a successful protest movement anymore. As stated earlier, how the populace responds and who they back will most likely be the deciding factor. Secondly, how loyal the army is to Saleh and how many attacks they are willing to carry out will also be a crucial element in this struggle. But killing 35 people will certainly enrage quite a few honest Yemenis who are genuinely against violence. How numerous and vociferous they are will be interesting to watch, impossible to guess, but very influential.

Yemen the Schizophrenic

After rather violent and tense clashes between security forces and protesters the past week, the recent few days have been very peaceful and without incident. It is this tendency for the protest movement to operate in swings and roundabouts that makes it so difficult for any foreigner to get an accurate grasp of the situation. Police presence in the capital has been raised, more people are carrying sticks, yet not since 3 days has anything of note taken place. Perhaps last Friday was, in fact, the Day of No Return, yet many people are standing by and wondering what is to come next. Reports of even more tribesmen coming from surrounding provinces are still rife, and it has been rumored that their presence sparked last week's clashes. How the next few days will play out are anyone's guess, but if this country has taught me anything, it is to never be lulled into the idea that the movement is over. It has always been at exactly that point in which numbers have increased and tension has escalated. At the same time, it cannot be expected for both sides to continue bending without either breaking, so surely things will come to a quite violent head or simply stall out. What can be expected, however, is for a solution to take quite a bit of time yet.

Many foreigners have left and are preparing to leave. There certainly is a heightened sense of anxiety amongst the expats here, many of whom previously thought an escalation that would precipitate their evacuation impossible. The recent evacuation order/suggestion from the British Embassy can be seen as a catalyst for this, and many friends and friends of friends are talking seriously of leaving.

Yemen is different from Egypt, for instance, in the fact that there is a marked presence of guns. Egypt certainly became quite violent during the apex of revolutionary fervor, yet tribal warfare or street-level fire fights were never feared. In contrast, it cannot be ruled out that something could happen to drastically change the situation here, and a scene where guns are kept in houses is changed to the Yemen of old, where AK-47s were the equivalent of a man's purse in terms of people carrying them, becomes the norm again. No one here wants to risk sticking around to see if that situation is enacted, as unlikely as it currently seems. No one expected there to be 200,000 protesters at the university even as recently as 2 weeks ago, yet that has happened. Where this stops and how is very much in doubt, and Yemen isn't the type of country one wants to be stuck in for a prolonged period of time without a clear exit strategy. Because of this threat, more than any current situation, many foreigners are leaving. Ominous warning signs like the government departing 4 of only 8 foreign journalists, perhaps in preparation of a coming crackdown, do not assuage such fears.

What is certain right now is Yemen is changing, for better or worse. Whatever happens will be protracted and not necessarily remarkably violent, although that potential remains. As Libya remains war-torn and Bahrain brings in Saudi troops, Yemen keeps chugging along as it has done since roughly the middle of February. The best strategy from a U.S. standpoint is not to interfere and simply let Yemenis decide what they want. Hopefully that will remain the course of action for the foreseeable future.

Never Know About Tomorrow

I sit in my apartment room now, hearing the not-too-distant chanting from Tahrir. It's not as vociferous as before, perhaps the day's events are done.

In many ways, today has been much like any other. We went to our usual chicken and rice restaurant, even found some time to go to the local military museum (which, interestingly enough, is chock full of info from the revolution of the mid 60s), and generally relaxed. What is telling is the palpable difference the events of the past 24 hours have done to the Sana'ani psyche. No longer are we having to drag information out of our Yemeni friends in regards to the protest movement; instead, a few have come to us to express concern. Many people who only a short few weeks ago we were unwavering in their belief that this would all blow over are starting to have doubts. During a taxi ride to the other side of the city, it was noticeable the number of people carrying clubs and forming little street groups. Every day is a contradiction here, as is every hour and minute. Sometimes, we do feel like there is the potential for things to change. 5 minutes later, we're walking down the street under unusually cloudy skies without much of a care for anything. It is for this reason that we as foreigners are having difficult grasping the situation at hand. Certainly, it is nowhere near what I perceive as the media most likely blowing things out of proportion with 'if it bleeds, it leads' type journalism, yet hearing gunshots while standing on your rooftop at noon does give even the most ardent optimist brief pause.

It's very difficult, even while here, to get an accurate, all-encompassing understanding of Yemeni society and psychology. They are simultaneously a very warm and open people, yet with a culture steeped in tribal warfare where family revenge is most important. This dichotomy is manifested throughout all the culture, from those with their head in the proverbial sand in regards to the protests, to those who believe civil war is just a matter of time. Pinning down a Yemeni interrogatively and forcing an opinion out of him is as delicate a balancing act as any, nearly impossible. Therefore, it's very clear to my why people in the West may have whatever misconstrued idea of Yemen they envision. The true is that Yemeni society is a very complex fabric, woven with interests from all of the tribes yet struggling to rebirth itself as a modernizing nation. Caught in the crossfire is a strong-arm president who is using the same strong-arm tactics he's used for the past 30 years, students who are proud of their heritage yet eager to see Yemen realize its moderate potential, and the laymen who are simply trying to get on with their jobs undisturbed. Perhaps it is the latter category who are most caught in the crossfire, those preferring peace to more bloodshed, yet also cognisant of the possibility they may have been cheated by their government. In times like these, it isn't the extremists who decide the fate of the nation, be it the neo-revolutionaries who want change merely because they ideologically think it better, or the prohibitive, self-indulging government that is sapping the country dry of its resources. Instead, it is the everyday man who must decide between risking his short-term peace for the long-term gain of his children. The battle lines have been drawn, it's simply down to see if the Yemeni man will do something very uncharacteristic and choose an ideal over a government bribe. Tahrir Square is packed with those who are content to sit and eat chicken and chew qat, bereft of any self-pride that may induce the desire for self-advancement. These people are what has kept the country held back for so long, their complacency convincing them to be content with the status quo for another day. Governments are, by nature, expected to be self-preserving, as past history can attest to, and it is up to the people to change that. Yemen has its best, and most dangerous, chance to do so right now. Whether the ubiquitous Yemeni chewing qat while sitting on the sidewalk will remain the national image, or if he gets up and decides to change something is anyone's guess. Whether this is even for the best, in terms of the great risks it incurs, is also fodder for endless debate, yet it is apparent that Yemenis are going through a period right now that may determine their collective societal personality for a long time. In the short term, I go to bed not knowing what the government has up its sleeve for tonight, or what course tomorrow will take. But it was I who signed up for this, and I'm certainly not complaining.

Gunfire

This is my 'return' post after what has been a week-long bout with a mysterious flu-like illness which would swing from chills to fever to me being perfectly fine. Here's hoping I'm done with the infection side of the immersion process.

I suppose I should get to the more interesting details first. Early this morning, my roommate and I were awoken to the sound of a large number of AK-47 rounds being fired. It was off in the distance, and Yemenis have shot off fireworks before that sound like gunfire, so we both went to sleep and didn't think anything of it. It was, however, gunfire this time, as government forces stormed the 'protest' at the university and opened fire with machine guns and an as yet unknown gas that attacks the nervous system. Essentially, the army surprised people sleeping in tents who were expecting last night to be peaceful just like the previous ones. What compelled the government to brazenly attack peaceful protesters more engaged in a sit-in than a protest is beyond everyone's comprehension right now. What is clear, however, is the situation just became a lot more tense and both sides seem to have taken their resolve to a new level. After a gas attack a few days earlier in which 80 were injured, this new attack claimed at least 1 life to date and injured upwards of 300. Reports of live pictures streaming onto Al Jazeera of people walking through Tagheer Square (Change Square, ground zero of the anti-government protest at Sana'a University) and fainting due to the gas are rife. Ambulances were blocked for a few hours as what small cadre of doctors who were on the site were left to dealt with massive amount of casualties.

This recent attack follows a statement by Counterterrorism Advisor John Brennan that the opposition needs to open up an avenue of serious dialogue with the government as both sides have responsibility to maintain stability. How the protesters caused this attack is beyond understanding, so it will be interesting to see what new statements, if any, come from Washington. Once again, the American government has a fine path to tread between supporting a strong-armed 'ally' and not forsaking its moral compass. With the words of John Brennan stinging in the ears of many Yemenis this morning, they are increasingly becoming entrenched and isolated. How willing they are to engage in a peaceful protest, or forcefully repel any coming attacks by the government remains to be seen. Furthermore, I don't expect the tribes loyal to the protesters will merely stand by and allow these attacks to keep happening. What role they take, and how threatening they become, could become a major flashpoint in the coming weeks. The number of pro-government 'supporters' in Tahrir Square, paid by the government, has increased dramatically the past few days, indicating the government is not going to let up. What is slightly infuriating is walking through Tahrir and literally seeing staged protests. Cameras are put in front of a group of roughly 100 men, and a few people stand behind the cameras to orchestrate the mock protest. This is then shown or discussed in the various news outlets of the world, giving readers the sense that the pro-Saleh supporters are just as numerous and resolute as the anti ones. This couldn't be further from the truth, and is either lazy or blatantly inaccurate reporting by whoever is covering what goes on there. I never see reporters in Tahrir, so it remains a mystery to me who keeps spreading this message.

Right now at the college, we are starting a week-long between-session break of no classes, our equivalent of Spring Break perhaps. It will be interesting to watch how much stronger and tense this protest movement gets, as it has become larger and larger as the weeks have gone by. It is yet to stall; in contrast, each new attack brings more protesters. Yesterday, there were reportedly in excess of 100,000 people in Sana'a, nearly doubling any previous protest. What this latest attack will do to motivate the Sana'anis is unknown, but if previous events are indicators, they aren't done yet.

Standing By

Like Yemeni societal makeup, there are many faces to this demonstration movement. Some days, it appears that protesters have all the momentum, and other days it seems as if events are stalling out. Today, thus far, falls under the latter category.

It has been announced/rumored/speculated that the collective opposition political parties, the JMP, have reached an agreement with Saleh wherein he will step down by 2012. Within the JMP, and among the non-affiliated student movement, this has been disputed as both fact and sufficient. Like previous tactics of his, it still remains to be seen if this latest maneuver will take enough wind out of the opposition's sails and give Saleh more breathing room.

It appears recently that a lack of cohesion among the opposition in regards to an eventual post-Saleh Yemen is becoming a retardant to their efforts. Some groups among the protesters merely want government reform and fair election in the coming years; others are asking for the immediate abdication of Saleh from his responsibilities. This lack of consensus has already caused fissures to emerge among protesters, thus it is incumbent upon them to stitch together a common short-term plan and resume their grievances under one voice.

The previous estimation, that of the threat posed by a divided opposition, is contrary to how I felt just a few days ago. Walking through Tahrir, I was hit with the idea that there isn't much more that Saleh could do to quell things, save using Qaddafi-style brutality. Daily, there are mid- to upper-age tribesmen sitting around either eating chicken or chewing qat, both of which are doled out free-of-charge from the government. Their loyalty is being bought, apparently more out of necessity than gratitude for any genuine support they may have. In comparison, all of the protesters at the University come of their own volition financed by their own back pockets. These different pictures of the movements gave me the idea that the victory is there for the opposition. By victory, I only mean the ousting of Saleh. Whatever government comes afterward will be a battle, be it military or political, in and of itself.

Today is supposed to be another Friday 'Day of Rage.' Thus far, nothing remarkable has been done by either side, giving the feeling that the government is beginning to see the limits of the opposition movement. As long as they don't march or don't become too large, then their threat to the government will not cause too much consternation. Like last Tuesday, it is necessary that the protesters begin marching and generally become a thorn for the Saleh regime, or risk stalling.

Yemen Swaying

There have been a lot of events the past 4 days. On Friday, the opposition had it's largest Sana'a protest to date, with a crowd reported to have peaked around 70,000 after mid-day prayer.

The crowd was amazing. Upon arrival, riot police ushered us away to stand on a sidewalk, for no apparent reason other than to appear to be in control. They then asked if we were students or journalists, I asked them which was better, at which point they laughed and said we could walk into the protest. So, we traversed a roughly 50 yard section of a street, at the end of which was the first line of protestors' own security. It was a bit intimidating walking up to what was thousands of people, but when we got there I asked if they were just security. They said yes and acted very friendly so I knew we were okay.

Once inside the protest, people seemed a bit more inclined to voice their concerns. Normally, they just ask us why we're in the country, but this time they were quicker to assume we were journalists, and took the opportunity to tell us their opinions. I never get tired of talking with people, but after 10 minutes there are easily 30 people in a halo around us which is a bit unnerving, considering the definite presence of undercover police there. I did note, however, that there seemed to be considerably less police presence than normal. The opposition are getting very good at security, and also more assertive, so I'm assuming they're actively turning back whomever they please.

I asked people in the crowd what the long-term plan was, drawing on the fact that they should use the large number as momentum for their movement. They said that this Friday they plan on actually marching, rather than staying put, if numbers permit. In my opinion, and I'm not quite sided with anyone yet, they should become more active, sooner rather than later. They are gaining the initiative and should use a blitzkrieg strategy; don't let up until their goal is quickly and effectively realized.

In comparison to Egypt and Tunisia, Yemen is a different beast altogether. Facing oil and water shortages, massive unemployment, secessionist movements an al-Qaida presence, a very tribal society, low level of education, and an almost non-existent middle class, there are many factors that need to be considered.

What can't really be disputed by neutrals is that the current government does not use resources to the maximum advantage of the people. Part of them are naturally used to appease the tribes and ensure civil war doesn't break out, something that is in the not-too-distant past. However, there are many claims that Ali Abdullah Saleh uses money to enrich his and his family's fortune in a very Mubarak- and Qaddafi-esque fashion. That being said, the threat of society being plunged into civil war as a result of anti-government protests is very real. While change could definitely be used, no one can say with any measure of certainty what costs that will require. That can be said for all revolutions, but Yemen stands in stark contrast to a completely-unified Egyptian society who, with seemingly one voice, was calling for the ousting of the president. Not all Yemenis necessarily want the current government to go, afraid of what the post-mortem may be. Furthermore, many seem convinced Saleh is a very capable leader of the country and has its best interests in mind.

All of the above being said, I am in no way an expert of the country, but I do feel like the past 3 weeks have given me an insight into its complexities.

The past 24 hours have seen important developments take place as well. Last night, it was announced that many Parliament leaders were threatening to resign. Since then, the country's two largest tribes are reported to have turned against Saleh, many religious clerics are stating that it is a duty for Yemenis to protest against the regime, and as of 3 hours ago Saleh announced that he will form a national unity government in 24 hours. The other side of that coin is that the JMP, Yemen's largest anti-government party, said it will reject this and will not send members to be part of the new coalition. Saleh's attempts to reconcile, and the JMP's rejection, are a contradiction to previous claims that the current government remains unaffected by recent events. On the contrary, it appears they are making last-ditch efforts to appease the masses before the movement reaches a point of no return. Whether that is an exaggeration remains to be seen in the coming days, but few can deny the movement has had an effect.

Yemen In The Balance

It's approx 0000 right now and news just hit twitter that two more students have been killed at Sana'a University. I'm texting a Yemeni friend who's there right now, and it's surreal to me that this is all going on. Gaddafi just gave his babbling speech about 3 hours ago, and the entire Middle East is in a state of flux. Many people, during the past few days, have switched their opinions on the possibility of a revolution in Yemen from being possible to highly likely. In the same time period, rumors of tribesmen coming from the north to reinforce the protestors have been rife.

Walking through Tahrir today, the atmosphere is incredibly tense. Gone is the festive mood, filled with dancing and 50's era Arabic music. People now seem to be very serious and on edge. Maybe this country will collectively realize the absolute destruction that will befall it if civil war breaks out, but at this point that looks against most odds.

It's easy in times like these to wax lyrical about the wave of change sweeping through the area, and/or dramatize events, such is the media's folly. Yet it is also undeniable the shifting mood going throughout not just the capital but all other major cities as well. Reports from Aden and Taiz reveal a marked lack of police and security presence, with the now-familiar stories of looters becoming increasingly common.

At a protest two nights ago, it was apparent that the organizers of the protest movement are trying to dig in and become more entrenched. Professional signs had been made, permanent living quarters set up, and the general look of determined defiance was widespread.

It's possible that something will happen to avert major crisis; indeed, there are many factors that could keep the protestors from realizing their goal. They must keep cohesion, have absolutely the same goals, and face what is surely going to be a very violent backlash from the government and affiliated thugs. People here say that Yemen isn't Egypt or Tunisia, but only a week ago the same was said of Libya. It only takes a spark to light a fire.

For those concerned about my immediate safety, I live in indisputably the safest part of the country. We are within 500 yards of Tahrir Square, Parliament, and the Ministry of Judges. Police presence here is high, and they all are sympathetic to us being here. By the time any violence makes it this far, Yemen will be occupying the front page of Al-Jazeera, and I'll most likely be either in an embassy or on a plane. All of us here have a lot of Yemeni contacts who report to us breaking developments way before they hit twitter or any other news outlet. I have never felt anywhere near threatened, even when secret police told us two nights ago that 'we should leave, there will be trouble in an hour.' He was right, and we were gone way before the confrontations started. We are all watching the situation here in expectation that it may tip over the brink and be pitched into another civil war. If and when that happens, we'll be long gone, so no one reading this needs to worry.

Post Protest Update

Things have quieted down just a bit here since the march following Mubarak's vacating of the Egyptian presidency. However, each day has seen a protest of some sort break out, and yesterday's got some attention when people were beaten and shocked by plain-clothed policemen. Tahrir Square right now is filled with huge tents set up for the government to conduct a 10-day 'arts and crafts' exhibition; in reality Saleh's throwing a party for his tribesmen and supporters and keeping Tahrir occupied so that anti-government protesters can't use it.

The army and national police are everywhere right now; we have about 15 living downstairs of our dorm now. I've made friends with pretty much all of them and know most by name, so if anything happens at least the local semblance of stability will be on my side. I figured if anything big does happen, no anti-government protesters are going to know about my interactions with the police, and they aren't the ones with guns anyway.

Right now, I honestly don't see an Egyptian-style revolution happening here. I think the best (worst) they can hope for as far as anti-government activism is concerned would be an all-out civil war. There is certainly a large faction of anti-government people, but equally enough people here are cognizant of the differences between their country and Egypt, mainly the plethora of guns, and recognize how bad it could get. I think that very real possibility, as much as anything, is what's keeping people from really going after the regime. It really is very Mubarak-esque in that President Saleh favors a small elite around him and swiftly uses his supporters to quash dissidents, but he also appears to be much more politically and socially savvy. Mubarak never really had an air about him; he was a straight-faced military general and didn't try to hide out. Saleh, on the other hand, seems well versed at the smile-and-kiss-babies side of politics, and people here seem rather fooled by him. Testament to this is the fact that two days ago, my roommate and I were walking through the big party at Tahrir when some government supporters yelled at us and told us to come eat with them. Apparently, Saleh has been using cooked chicken to bribe loyalty; I must admit, he has a good chef because the chicken was tasty. I guess feeding thousands of men who could otherwise take up arms against you is an effective tactic.

Anyways, all of us at the college are just going to classes and kinda waiting to see what happens next. I could see it remaining 'stable' for a long time, or I could see one person doing something heavy-handed and spark an all-out war. This country really does sit on that kind of fault line, and seemingly only the fresh memory of recent wars is what keeps that from happening.

First Encounter With Yemeni Protest.

I just got back to my apartment after experiencing the revolutionary air that swept across the Arab world. Walking back after having dinner, my group and I looked down the street and noticed an oft-seen sight on Al-Jazeera, a procession of angry protesters. We stepped to the side of the street and let the near-1000 strong group pass. We then decided to follow them. Most of us have experience of living abroad, and we rarely leave our apartment without our cameras. This time, they would come in handy.

By speaking with people in the march, we learned they were going to the Egyptian embassy. It was more a celebration than protest, so we didn't sense any danger. We marched through streets choked with pedestrians and honking cars, many people shaking our hands and smiling due to the news of Hosni Mubarak stepping down as president. The crowd eventually merged with a procession coming from the other direction, and we stayed there for about 10 minutes until a consensus was seemingly reached by the protesters to head back to Liberation Square. We turned around with them and marched as well. After seeing people jumping on top of SUVs in order to gain a better view point, I asked the riders of a nearby one if I could join them. They agreed so I climbed atop, and informed them I was American. They were very happy to hear that the outside world might hear of their struggles as well, and we rode the half mile to to Liberation Square shooting video and talking. We eventually reached there, and the most famous anti-government protester, a woman whose name escapes me right now, began anti-government chanting. I didn't know who she was until I asked a Yemeni man nearby, then I recalled reading about her. I was suddenly within 10 feet of someone who up to that point seemed as fictitious to me as any other protester on the TV; suddenly, I sensed the importance of this protest and I gained a new appreciation of the events.

As the army and riot police started to move in, we backed away a bit as this wasn't our protest. We stayed back about 20 yards from the epicenter and talked with a man who eventually revealed himself as one of the infamous plain-clothed policemen. He told us as long as we stayed there we'd be fine, and taking pictures was permissible as well.

All in all, I never really felt danger, save when a pro-government group met the anti group head on, causing a brief stampede in which I was forced to partake. Fifty yards later though, the danger had passed. We stayed back a bit further and talked with a man who works in Aden and speaks impeccable English; we later started noticing people carrying the long wooden sticks carried by anti-looters and determined we'd stayed long enough and would make sure we could get back to our apartment. The army throughout all this time had consistently reinforced itself throughout all the events, and even now from the 6th story rooftop of my apartment I can hear the chanting. I'm going to sleep tonight, not knowing if Yemen is the next Egypt or not. The future is very unclear, but it promises to at least be exciting.

Week 1 Round Up

So today is day 7 of my stay here. It's the last day of the weekend so I have more classes tomorrow.

The adjustment has been surprisingly easy thus far. Not really any culture shock or re-immersion to be done. The biggest difference has perhaps been going from a very frigid environment, to mild summer temperatures. No complaining here.


One of the biggest surprises has been the relative quiet of Sana'a. I say relative, but in reality it seems just as quiet as back home. All of the dramatized media reports, painting Yemen as a country coming apart at the seams, couldn't seem further from the truth. Yes, it is a country with a large proliferation of arms, yet the capital is very quiet. The police and military presence is quiet unnoticed, and I personally feel no danger when walking the streets. Yemenis are famous for their qat chewing habits, and the city as a whole seems to have a set schedule for conducting business or for chewing. Many people have written that this could be a major difference between the revolution we see in Egypt, and the more moderate protests in Yemen, and I would have to agree with them.

I visited the large Old City markets yesterday, and felt as if I had taken a step 500 years into the past. With the exception of lights and cell phones, almost everything found in the market would be found many years ago as well. It felt more like a broadway stage for Aladdin than anything else I can relate to. The only navigation tools that could be used were the highest minarets towering above, otherwise the winding alleys would've left anyone lost.

Coming back from the market, I was stopped by some boys and they convinced me to play a game of FIFA with them; it didn't take very long before there was a whole throng of kids watching us.

People here are very nice. They may be a bit stern-faced at first, but a quick greeting makes almost every single person smile and reply. It's a very conservative country, but not very hard to live in.

I'll try to start posting more, I lose track of which stories I've told and which I haven't due to the length of time between posts. It becomes more of a recitation than it does anything with spontaneity or creativity. Boring...

Day 1 Post Mortem

I have some extra time, due to not having classes yet and therefore no homework, so I figure I'd fire off another post.

Breakfast was interesting, to say the least. I've broken many fasts in Egypt and was expecting similar food, but was mistaken. We were served only bread, frosted flakes with the option of putting them in yogurt, and hard boiled eggs. It's just something I'll have to get used to. Also, special mention goes to the cockroach who I disturbed while he was hiding under the orange juice. Carry on my friend.

The students here are few in number but the West is well represented. There are those from America, Britain, Denmark, Italy, Germany, Canada, and Texas. So, 7 countries in total.

We returned to our apartment and succumbed to jet lag's effect on our sleep cycle and took a nap for a shortwhile. Later, we joined up with a couple friends and rode a taxi to a yemeni restaurant. The food was amazing, my favorite being how they brought the flat bread and laid it on the table like it was a tablecloth, and left us to ourselves to tear it and dip it into the different soups. We later walked around the city a bit, and returned to our apartment.

I had my placement test and so have classes tomorrow beginning at 9. I'm looking forward to them as right now I'm kinda outta the loop of everything, which is cool in the long term because they more or less leave us to ourselves.

We later went and ate shawarma from an outside stand; it was okay, I've definitely had better, but it's something I've missed since Egypt so enjoyed it nonetheless. We then walked around Tahrir Square, and then up and down a few streets before returning.

One of the guards here is rather talkative but very nice. We talked with him for easily an hour about all things, and got some pointers on the yemeni dialect. It's never a bad idea to become friends with those tasked to protect you, a savvy PR move by us if I may say so.

Everyone here is nice; it's a lot more conservative than Egypt but that doesn't make anyone unapproachable. The dialect really isn't difficult to understand or anything; I already feel as proficient as I was the last day I left Egypt. I'm hoping after 3 months I'll have made similar strides in the language, so I'm anxious to see where I end up. I like Sana'a a lot and think the next 3 months are gonna be very enjoyable. I don't want to compare Yemen to Egypt for many reasons, the foremost of which is that I'm much more experienced in the first days of my time here than I was when I first went to Egypt.

I'll sign off now, I don't at all feel like sleeping but probably should to combat the jet lag. I didn't take pics today like I was expecting, but I'm going to explore the Old City soon and will have a lot by then.

First Day in Yemen

After a god-awfully long journey which kicked the pants off of last summer's trip to Egypt in terms of length and torture, I'm finally experiencing Sana'a. I wouldn't say I'm well-rested, as jet lag definitely has its grip on me, but at least I got to sleep horizontally for a few hours last night.

Now to the interesting part: the first thought after crossing the plane's exit door threshold was the smell; I'd forgotten what it smelled like to be in a foreign country. I'm sure each place has its own aroma, and Sana'a certainly demonstrated that. It didn't stink or anything, it was just an olfactory-punch reminder of where I was. I eventually got into the terminal, and the first time I spoke Arabic the guy said "you're accent...it is Egyptian." Hehe. Shows I learned something last summer. Then he said I must learn the Yemeni one. Of course.

After an hour's sparring with Arab bureaucracy, we were finally cleared to leave the terminal. We had our driver, a student who is also kinda the greeter girl, and another new student from Italy, crammed in a 4 runner. It's safe to say I've missed riding with Arabs, the driver wasted no time in having a near-collision with a car that made the dumbfounding decision to stop in the middle of a near empty street.

I didn't realize how much I'd missed being in a foreign environment. The monotonous plane ride was an experience that could be likened to torture, at least to those like myself who can't sit still for very long, so I became rather dull to everything. As soon as we hit the road and took everything in my senses finally came alive and I had a new lease on life.

Sana'a itself is very Arab. Now I know why most Egyptians don't consider themselves Arab; at this point, I'm inclined to agree with them. The early morning call to prayer was cool since I hadn't heard that in awhile, and it quickly reminded me of my first night in Egypt. This time around, I feel much more experienced about things and can't wait to dive in head first guns blazing. Speaking of guns, my roommate swears he heard an AK peel off a 5-round burst last night. I didn't hear it, but it supposedly came right when the calls to prayer started. Yemenis are known for using their weapons for celebration, so I'm sure that's what it was. Regardless, that's something I never heard in Egypt and a reminder to the different environment I'm in.

We eat breakfast in 10 minutes, so I have to wrap this up. We're gonna be given a tour of the Old City today; hopefully I can get a few pics up.

It's really good to be back in the saddle again.