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Generational Dynamics Web Log for 5-Apr-2011
5-Apr-11 News -- Yemen's government appears near collapse, as Obama administration turns its back

Web Log - April, 2011

5-Apr-11 News -- Yemen's government appears near collapse, as Obama administration turns its back

France's troops and aircraft enter Ivory Coast conflict

Yemen's government appears near collapse, as Obama administration turns its back

In a sharp about-face of policy, the Obama administration is backing away from President Ali Abdullah Saleh of Yemen, America's long-time ally in the war against terror. The administration had fully supported Saleh until news leaked out this weekend, confirmed on Monday, that the administration was calling for Saleh to step down, according to AFP.

Tawakkol Karman, protest leader in Sanaa, Yemen (New Yorker)

Tawakkol Karman, protest leader in Sanaa, Yemen (New Yorker)

The White House is hoping that Saleh's replacement will continue to work with the U.S. in fighting al-Qaeda. Al-Qaeda on the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) is headquartered in Yemen, and is training militants for terrorist acts in Europe and North America.

White House spokesman Jay Carney said the following:

"We are obviously concerned that in this period of political unrest that Al-Qaeda and other groups will attempt to take advantage of that power vacuum. That is one of the reasons why we urge political dialogue to take place and a timetable for this transition that President Saleh has talked about to be begun.
We believe we can and will work with the government of Yemen on these important matters. We are not focused on one individual."

The change in policy comes when the bloodbath in Yemen has substantially worsened in the last few days. Tens of thousands of protesters have been demanding for weeks that Saleh step down. Since the start of the protests, gangs of Saleh supporters had attacked unarmed demonstrators with truncheons, sticks and guns. Over the weekend, security forces used round after round live fire, killing at least 12 protesters and injuring hundreds, according to the Yemen Post,

It's far from clear that Yemen's government will continue to exist if Saleh steps down. Saleh's great strength is in manipulating and holding together the powerful tribal confederations, and tribal conflict may follow his departure.

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Pakistan's army is recruiting two divisions on standby alert for immediate deployment to Saudi Arabia, if there's an outbreak of political upheaval in that country. In addition, Pakistan is recruiting retired soldiers for service in the Bahrain National Guard, to protect the Sunni monarchy. These recruitments are being restricted to Sunni Muslims only; Shias are not being recruited. This development is consistent with the expectation that China, Pakistan and the Sunni Muslim countries will be opposed to America, India and Russia in the coming Clash of Civilizations world war. South Asia Analysis Group (SAAG)

French troops and aircraft are entering the conflict in Ivory Coast, as it escalates into full scale civil war. France is now heavily involved in two African wars -- in Libya and Ivory Coast. VOA

Western military advisers are becoming visible in Benghazi, Libya. Independent

In a surprise, Italy's government has officially recognized Libya's rebels, as represented by the Libyan National Transitional Council, as the only legitimate representative of the nation. Italy is the third nation, after France and Qatar, to recognize the rebel government. Italy has a lot at stake in Libya, so the decision must have been very closely calculated. On the one hand, Italy fears a flood of refugees leaving Libya and arriving on Italy's shores, hoping to live in Europe. On the other hand, Italy is Libya's former colonial power, and has substantial economic ties in the country. CS Monitor

According to one anti-American blogger, the principal motivation behind the West's military action in Libya is to deprive China of its economic engagement with Africa, in preparation for war with China. The author says that the West used the same strategy in the 1930s, preparing for war with Japan. Paul Craig Roberts

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has been pushing Greece behind the scenes to restructure its debt, which would be a form of default. The IMF has decided that the austerity measures and EU bailout are not enough to escape default, something that many people have been saying for a long time. The IMF is reluctant to make its position public, because doing so would increase pressure on Portugal, which will probably be the next country requiring an EU bailout. Spiegel

Hillary Clinton has become the most popular and trusted figure in the Obama administration, with a favorable rating higher than President Obama, Vice President Biden, or Secretary of Defense Gates. She was a polarizing figure during the Clinton administration, but her work as Secretary of State around the world has won her admirers. CS Monitor

How to avoid identity theft scammers during the tax season. CBS News

The easiest way to get a girlfriend is to already have one. So if you need a girlfriend to post cute messages on your Facebook site, you can get a virtual girlfriend from CloudGirlfriend.com soon. The service will employ real women. Technology Review

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Generational Dynamics Web Log for 5-Apr-2011 5-Apr-11 News -- Yemen's government appears near collapse, as Obama administration turns its back

Yemen's government appears near collapse, as Obama administration turns its back

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Generational Dynamics Web Log for 5-Apr-2011
5-Apr-11 News -- Yemen's government appears near collapse, as Obama administration turns its back