Yemen | L E Loveluck

All eyes on Aden

July 24, 2011 by Louisa Loveluck

As the optimism of the Arab Spring fades, Yemen’s struggle against autocracy continues. Unlike in Tunisia and Egypt, the departure of the country’s President, Ali Abdullah Saleh, has not heralded the beginning of a new era. Instead, it has deepened a dangerous political stalemate. Yesterday, that stalemate grew ever more tenuous as a car bomb killed 8 government soldiers and wounded 18 in Aden. Whilst media attention focuses on Sana’a and Abyan, the situation in this southern port city grows worse […]

Categories: Yemen • Tags: AQAP, Yemen

Drone strikes: the human cost

July 21, 2011 by Louisa Loveluck

The efficacy of American drone strikes in Yemen has been well-explored in recent weeks. With those on both sides of the argument offering their own comprehensive analyses, I’d recommend a look at Frank Cilluffo and Clinton Watts’ report, “Yemen & Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula: Exploiting a Window of Counterterrorism Opportunity“, as well as Gregory Johnsen’s excellent response over at Waq al-Waq. Whilst the strike programme was initiated during President Bush’s time in office, it has found real favour under […]

Categories: America, Yemen • Tags: AQAP, Pakistan, Yemen

Saleh clutching at straws

May 13, 2011 by Louisa Loveluck

True to form, today’s speech from Saleh was as fiery as it was predictable. As the months of protest have worn on in Yemen, these presidential appearances have become somewhat of a formality. Each week after Friday prayers, Saleh stands in front of a crowd of cheering (and likely, paid) supporters and condemns the protesters in increasingly colourful terms. Today’s target: the JMP. The unrest, it seems, it their fault, and they must be careful ‘not to play with fire’. […]

Categories: Yemen • Tags: Revolution, Yemen

Protesters defaced a poster of Saleh at a rally outside Sana'a University last week [Reuters]

Saleh: Is this goodbye? (Part 2)

April 25, 2011 by Louisa Loveluck

Further to my earlier skepticism at Saleh’s resignation promise, today brought news of more bloodshed in Yemen. According to the BBC, security forces opened fire on demonstrators in Taiz, wounding 10: Security forces erected concrete barriers to block roads leading to the Taiz governor’s office, and deployed armoured vehicles on the streets, witnesses said. “There were thousands in a march who came from outside Taiz, but the police and army and gunmen in civilian clothes confronted them, opening fire with bullets and […]

Categories: Uncategorized • Tags: Human Rights, Yemen

Saleh: Is this goodbye?

April 24, 2011 by Louisa Loveluck

Just a quick post today as I try to make sense of the events in Yemen over the past 24 hours. Late last night, it was announced that President Saleh has accepted the terms of a GCC plan that would see him relinquish power within 30 days. Although this initially seems to be a victory for the protesters, the situation remains far from clear-cut. What is the GCC plan? According to Iona Craig: under the latest draft, Yemen’s parliament would grant Saleh […]

Categories: Yemen • Tags: Yemen

Sarah Phillips on Yemen

April 11, 2011 by Louisa Loveluck

The Guardian is carrying a great piece from Sarah Phillips on the struggle in Yemen, here’s a taster: I see pictures on Facebook of my young Yemeni friends demonstrating peacefully but assertively. Some of them are carrying gruesome pictures of those killed by the regime’s snipers to bolster their argument that the president has lost his legitimacy to rule and must leave. These heady days will remain with them on the difficult road ahead as biographical hooks in their political […]

Categories: America, Media, Yemen • Tags: America, Media, War on Terror, Yemen

Yemen and the War on Terror

March 12, 2011 by Louisa Loveluck

After another bloody day in Yemen, questions need to be asked about the relationships that facilitate and constrain the government’s actions. I’m reading a number of reports that suggest the weapons used against protesters in Sana’a came from US-military shipments, and this comes as no surprise. To my mind, the most damaging thing to happen to Yemen over the past decade has not simply been the rule of President Ali Abdullah Saleh. Instead, it has been the country’s incorporation into […]

Categories: America, Yemen • Tags: America, War on Terror, Yemen

Yemen: deconstructing the US response

March 12, 2011 by Louisa Loveluck

Even by American standards, the reaction to President Saleh’s most recent bout of political squirming is pretty awful. A more capable and time-rich person than I could write a pretty devastating critique. For now, I’ll stick to the main points: WASHINGTON — US President Barack Obama’s top anti-terror advisor John Brennan on Friday called Yemen’s President Ali Abdullah Saleh to welcome his pledge to devolve power and urged the opposition to support the plan. A simple history lesson will reveal […]

Categories: America, Yemen • Tags: America, War on Terror, Yemen

L E Loveluck

Cairo-based freelance journalist

Archives

All eyes on Aden

Drone strikes: the human cost

Saleh clutching at straws

Saleh: Is this goodbye? (Part 2)

Saleh: Is this goodbye?

Sarah Phillips on Yemen

Yemen and the War on Terror

Yemen: deconstructing the US response

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