SANAA - The long wave of popular protest that the domino effect is spreading from North Africa to the Middle East, now reaches Sanaa, the capital of Yemen, where is the "day of anger". The name obviously inspired by the "Angry" in which Mubarak has realized that the Egyptians were serious. But this is not the only similarity between the Yemeni and protest in Cairo.
From this morning, hundreds of pro-government demonstrators gathered in Tahrir Square in the capital, a place that bears the same name as the main theater of demonstrations in Cairo. The Yemeni Tahrir Square was initially chosen as the setting for the opposition rally, but the regime of President Ali Abdullah Saleh has decided to preside.
For this, the opposition fell back on the University of Sanaa, where the early morning there were already 20 thousand people. Demonstrations are also planned in other cities. What pushes them to protest? There are many problems that it shares with Tunisia, Yemen and Egypt. It is the poorest country in the Middle East, where unemployment is high, wages are low, prices rise.
Which encourages corruption, and fall water and energy resources. Almost half of the 23 million population live on less than two euro a day and a third suffers from chronic hunger. But the real threat to what was once called the 'Arabia Felix "is taken from terrorism and internal conflicts that are transforming the powder keg in the Arabian Peninsula.
In addition to facing the formidable local arm of Al Qaeda, the weak government in Sanaa is looking for a truce with Shiite rebels in the north and must shut down a separatist rebellion in the south. President Saleh, key U.S. ally in the fight against terrorism, running the country for 33 years.
The situation is an increasing concern for the United States. The Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton, in Sanaa in recent weeks, has invited the head of state to open a dialogue with the opposition, arguing that this would help stabilize the country. Evidently aware of the growing tension, Saleh initially promised measures against unemployment, wage increases for civil servants and the military, tax cuts, changes to tuition fees, expanding health care coverage.
Then, put aside the attempt to pass constitutional amendments that would have transformed into the first life president, has promised to leave his post at the end of the mandate, in 2013, and not to pass the reins to his eldest son, Ahmad, currently head of the Republican Guard, the elite corps of the army.
But it seems that his promises have been enough opposition galvanized by the images that come from Egypt. 
From this morning, hundreds of pro-government demonstrators gathered in Tahrir Square in the capital, a place that bears the same name as the main theater of demonstrations in Cairo. The Yemeni Tahrir Square was initially chosen as the setting for the opposition rally, but the regime of President Ali Abdullah Saleh has decided to preside.
For this, the opposition fell back on the University of Sanaa, where the early morning there were already 20 thousand people. Demonstrations are also planned in other cities. What pushes them to protest? There are many problems that it shares with Tunisia, Yemen and Egypt. It is the poorest country in the Middle East, where unemployment is high, wages are low, prices rise.
Which encourages corruption, and fall water and energy resources. Almost half of the 23 million population live on less than two euro a day and a third suffers from chronic hunger. But the real threat to what was once called the 'Arabia Felix "is taken from terrorism and internal conflicts that are transforming the powder keg in the Arabian Peninsula.
In addition to facing the formidable local arm of Al Qaeda, the weak government in Sanaa is looking for a truce with Shiite rebels in the north and must shut down a separatist rebellion in the south. President Saleh, key U.S. ally in the fight against terrorism, running the country for 33 years.
The situation is an increasing concern for the United States. The Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton, in Sanaa in recent weeks, has invited the head of state to open a dialogue with the opposition, arguing that this would help stabilize the country. Evidently aware of the growing tension, Saleh initially promised measures against unemployment, wage increases for civil servants and the military, tax cuts, changes to tuition fees, expanding health care coverage.
Then, put aside the attempt to pass constitutional amendments that would have transformed into the first life president, has promised to leave his post at the end of the mandate, in 2013, and not to pass the reins to his eldest son, Ahmad, currently head of the Republican Guard, the elite corps of the army.
But it seems that his promises have been enough opposition galvanized by the images that come from Egypt.
- Yemen Politics, Breakfast Burrito Edition (03/02/2011)
- Comment: Geography on Saleh's side - Financial Times (02/02/2011)
- Yemen Politics, Breakfast Burrito Edition - The Atlantic (02/02/2011)
- Yemen president says won't extend term or pass to son - Reuters (02/02/2011)
- Yemen president says won't extend presidential term - Reuters (02/02/2011)
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