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Yemen President Won't Run for Re-Election

Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh has announced he won't run for another term.

"No extension, no inheritance, no resetting the clock," he said, making reference to ruling party proposals to institute term limits that had been seen as allowing him to run again.

His announcement comes a day before planned protests, called "A Day of Rage" are scheduled. Yemen has been on the edge of failing for a while. As I wrote a year ago:

Yemen will become a failed state without aid. Between the rebel tribes in the north, the secessionists in the south and al-Qaida, the Government is out-matched. Add to that its dwindling oil reserves, critical lack of water and horrendous prison system that just breeds more terrorists, and it's a certainty Yemen can't fix its problems on its own.

It sounds like a series of domino effects is in play: Egypt, Tunisia, Jordan and now Yemen. What's next? Sudan? Or Algeria or Syria?

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    Instead of the religion, look at the demographics (5.00 / 2) (#4)
    by jeffinalabama on Wed Feb 02, 2011 at 11:36:48 AM EST
    More than 40 percent of the population in Yemen is between 15 and 35.

    Yemen has NOT moved beyond Stage Two of demographic transition.

    Half of the population is under 15 years old. Corrupton, resource depletion, and a 45 percent unemployment rate.

    Yemen has a poor educational system-- less than half of high-school age children go to school. Predominantly males, out of that school attending population. only 30 percent of females.

    It's not about religion. It's about demographics, infrastructure, and limited resources. Overall literacy stands at about 50 percent.

    These are the issues, not religion.

    Things getting crazy in Egypt now (none / 0) (#3)
    by Militarytracy on Wed Feb 02, 2011 at 10:16:57 AM EST