Global Security Studies Practicum

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...