Global Security Studies Practicum

7 December 2011 Sanaa, Yemen – After the signing of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) deal on November 24, 2011, Vice President Abdu Rabo Mansour Hadi issued a decree to form the government while naming 35 ministers, including Prime Minister Mohammed Basindwa and Foreign Minister Abu Bakr Al-Qirbi. Hadi also mentioned on Sunday, December 4, 2011, the future formation of a 14 member military council, to stabilize the country, comprised evenly between members of the ruling party and opposition. According to the GCC deal, Hadi was supposed to announce the military council members five days after the signing of the agreement, however, heavy clashes between government forces and opposition fighters in northern Sanaa prevented that from occurring. Many protesters believe the GCC deal is illegal and continue to urge other citizens to reject any deal offering President Ali Abdullah Saleh immunity. This tension has also escalated violence in Taiz leaving dozens dead and injured, according to...

23 November 2011 President Ali Abdullah Saleh arrived to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on Wednesday, November 23, 2011, to sign the Gulf Cooperation Council ’s initiative to transfer his executive power to Vice President Abdo Rabu Mansour Hadi. The initiative states that Saleh will step down in exchange for immunity from prosecution and will retain his title for the next three months until elections. For the past 10 months anti-government demonstrators have demanded Saleh’s ouster from office and once again clashes between government forces and tribal fighters erupted early Wednesday in Sana , hours after Saleh headed for Saudi Arabia . On Saturday, 400 government troops defected from the Yemeni military because of the violence they have witnessed against unarmed protesters. United Nations envoy Jamal Benomar stated that more work will be necessary after the signing of the agreement since the transitional government will need to rebuild the economy and gain the political support from the youth...

An agreement between the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and President Ali Abdullah Saleh is close as long as there are guarantees from the Gulf states, European nations and the United States.During a ruling party meeting, President Saleh insists on a timetable for implementing the power transfer plan before an agreement is signed. The proposal from the GCC is to hand power to a government deputy within a months’ time in exchange for immunity from persecution to himself and his government officials.He has consistently vowed not to hand power to long-time rivals from opposition parties as part of the agreement.Diplomats said a draft resolution was circulated to U.N. Security Council members late Tuesday, expressing concern about ongoing violence in Yemen and calling for Saleh to step down. They said most council members appeared to support the draft and were likely to vote on it by early next week. According to Yemeni medics and witnesses an assailant threw a grenade into a market in ...

17 October 2011 Sana, Yemen – Violent clashes increase between government and opposition forces after a fight broke out on Sunday night in Sana, Yemen’s capital. Protesters have been marching since February and recently escalated their demonstrations by marching into government strongholds where pro-government forces have targeted them with mortar and machine guns, killing 21 individuals so far. In March, troops loyal to the rebel commander, Maj. Gen. Ali Mohsin al-Ahmar, joined the demonstrators to offer protection after government snipers killed more than 50 unarmed protesters. This strategy has given the government more rationale to attack especially after Saleh commented that the soldiers contradict the protesters’ claim to be peaceful. The United Nations Security Council met to develop and agree on a resolution after Saleh accused Western leaders of not understanding the current crisis. The Security Council may vote this week and agree with the Gulf Cooperation Council proposa...

9 October 2011 Cairo - Ali Abdullah Saleh has once again avoided resigning from office as Yemen’s president even after signing a deal with the Gulf Cooperation Council in the spring. Yemeni’s foreign minister, Abu Bakr al-Qirbi, presented a new plan to the council stating that Saleh will remain in office until next year elections. The council’s plan, the Gulf Initiative, proposed that Saleh transfer all presidential power to his deputy while offering him and his family immunity. Saleh failed to react because of his main concern of leaving the country in control by his foes, General Ali Mohsin al-Ahmar and Hamid al-Ahmar. Government officials believe both men are using the antigovernment demonstrations to vie for power and blame them for the June bomb attack leaving Saleh injured. Yemen’s coalition of political opponent’s l eader, Yassin Saeed Noman, states that Saleh’s return is negative for the political situation and that negotiation with political opposition will get harder. S...