The current political
and security crises in Yemen
have important internal and regional implications.The Government of Yemen has proved unequal to
the political task of addressing political challenges from multiple directions.
Yemeni security forces have been unable to address the myriad of armed threats
to the state.Tribal, sectarian and
regional divisions within Yemen
have acquired regional and international significance. Al Qaeda in the Arabian
Peninsula (AQAP) is based in Yemen
but has regional reach and aspirations.The
willingness of Saudi Arabia
to engage in military action against Houthi rebel positions in Yemen, and the
allegation of Iranian involvement on the side of Houthi rebels, highlight the
increasingly regional nature of what was previously seen as an internal
conflict.
Based on his findings from recent travel in Yemen,
Dr. Mustafa Alani will be commenting on the current situation in the
country.He has met with a wide variety
of Yemenis, including governmental and non-governmental figures, and will
address issues of government policy, government capacity, ground realities and local
perspectives.
Mustafa Alani
is the Program Director of Security and Terrorism Studies and a Senior Advisor
at the Gulf Research Center (GRC) located in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
He is also an Associate Fellow at the Royal United Services Institute for
Defence and Security Studies in the United Kingdom. His research
focuses on security developments in the Gulf region, with particular emphasis
on Iraq and Iran, and on
Islamist terrorist organizations and fundamentalist groups. Since 1988, Dr.
Alani has acted as a consultant and advisor to numerous official and
non-governmental institutions, and has spoken in front of bodies of the House
of Commons on a number of issues.
