Bruce Riedel discusses the vulnerabilities and underlying tensions that could lead to unrest in Algeria. The Arab protest movement actually began in Algeria, with massive demonstrations in January. But the fear of returning to the chaos of the 1990's soon tempered protesters. The war in Libya has been "deeply disturbing" for Algerians, and the NATO intervention recalled bitter memories of colonialism. Nevertheless, socioeconomic and political problems, including unemployment, a youth bulge, and ...

CNN reported that the new leader of al-Qaeda, Ayman al-Zawahri',  has slammed the Syrian president, calling Bashar al-Assad "the leader of criminal gangs, the protector of traitors," and has commended the efforts on behalf of the protesters. Al-Zawahri' claimed that the protesters were 'examples' who 'explained lessons to the Syrian nation in sacrifice, steadfastness and struggle'. However, most young protesters are concerned with securing greater freedoms from dictatorial regimes. In the video he ...

Robert Worth, writing in the New York Times Magazine, recently authored a captivating and in-depth profile of the opposition in Yemen. His piece focused on non-violent efforts, led by Bushra al- Maqtari, in the city of Taiz. Her non-violent efforts were met with overwhelming violence by forces loyal to President Ali Abdullah Saleh in late May. On May 29, scores of soldiers loyal to President Saleh stormed the central square of Taiz, ...

Writing in Foreign Policy, Jeb Boone discusses the ongoing power struggle in Yemen. The departure of President Ali Abdullah Saleh from the capital did not signal a resolution of the political struggle. Boone breaks the conflict down by region, and argues that "while Sana'a's power brokers look to posture themselves to take seats of power, the Yemeni government has lost total control over the rest of the country." The next government "will face ...

Writing for The National Interest, Christopher Boucek argues that Yemen must begin its political transition as soon as possible, in order to then focus on the problems underlying the current crisis, including poor governance, unemployment, lack of resources, and security issues. Boucek notes the U.S. preoccupation with the al-Qaeda threat, and argues that "an exclusive focus on terrorism is the wrong choice for Washington," as it "will make matters worse." Rather, ...

About 57 militants linked to al-Qaeda escaped from a prison in southern Yemen on Wednesday through a 50-yard tunnel, as gunmen attacked the prison outside causing prison guards to focus on the attack instead of the militant's escape.  Six other prisoners escaped, however it is unclear whether they are also linked to Islamic extremists.  Many of the escaped prisoners had been charged with terrorism and some were sentenced to death. ...

Yemeni civilians have fled due to clashes between the army and militants suspected to be close to al-Qaeda in Abyan, a southern province, after the capital Zinjibar fell to militants last month.  On Sunday, at least 12 militants and nine soldiers were killed in three clashes between Islamists and separatists.  Outside Zinjibar, 12 militants and two soldiers were killed and five soldiers were killed in a separate attack near Zinjibar. According ...

According to reports, Yemeni soldiers killed 21 al-Qaeda members in a southern province that had been seized by Islamist fighters, on Saturday. 9 Yemeni soldiers were also killed while fighting in the Abyan province, whose capital Zinjibar was taken over by fighters last month.  The battles resulted in many fleeing from the province. According to President Ali Abdullah Saleh's opponents, Saleh has handed over Zinjibar to Islamists in an effort ...

Foreign Affairs provides a summary James Spencer's argument that the departure of Yemen's President Ali Abdullah Saleh "will not give free reign to Al Qaeda." Saleh's argument that a power vacuum would be filled by al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) "is based far more on political posturing than on a real assessment of the terrorist threat." Contrary to Western fears, the strength of AQAP remains unclear, and "Yemen's tribes and AQAP have far more ...

On Tuesday, the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace hosted a debate to be aired on BBC's The World Debate on U.S. foreign policy in response to the uprisings in the Middle East. Matt Frei, anchor for BBC's World News America moderated the event and introduced the following panelists: Marwan Muasher, Vice President for Studies at the Carnegie Endowment; Tamara Wittes, Deputy Assistant Secretary at the Bureau of Near Eastern ...

On Sunday,  Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh refused to sign the transition agreement brokered by the Gulf Cooperation Council, despite threats by White House counterterrorism chief John O.Brennan that the U.S. will consider "possible other steps" if he does not sign.   One option on the table now is bringing Yemen before the U.N. Security Council for unspecified sanctions.  Other countries are hesitantly reviewing aid packages to Yemen, aware that any course of action ...

During a Policy Forum at the Washington Institute of Near East Policy, chair of Middle East and Mediterranean Studies at Sciences Po Giles Kepel and Dr. Martin Kramer, the Washington Institute's Wexler Fromer fellow discussed the future of the Arab uprisings.  Kepel pointed tothe Arab people's economic grievances, frustrations over rampant corruption and the expiration of the Islamist threat as reasons for the revolution.  He also noted the differences between the Tunisian ...

In remarks made with Italian Foreign Minister Franco Frattini, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton expressed her alarm at the situation in Syria and called for an immediate end to the use of violence stating that "we have to show the Syrian Government that there are consequences for this brutal crackdown that has been imposed on the Syrian people."  Minister Frattini also called for an end to the violence and for ...