Yemen on the Brink

by Christopher Boucek (editor), Marina Ottaway (Editor)

Yemen is facing a unique confluence of crises. A civil war in the North, a secessionist movement in the South, and a resurgence of al Qaeda are unfolding against the background of economic collapse, insufficient state capacity, and governance and corruption issues. The security challenges are the most important in the short run, because economic and governance issues cannot be addressed without a minimum of stability. This volume brings together analyses of the critical problems that have dragged Yemen close to state failure. It provides an assessment of Yemen's major security challenges by recognized experts, and it broadens the discussion of the tools available to the international community to pull Yemen back from the brink. Separate chapters examine the resurgence of al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, the complex relationship between al Qaeda and the Yemini tribes, the Southern secessionist movement, and the civil war in Saada. Contents include • Avoiding a Downward Spiral • What Comes Next in Yemen? Al-Qaeda, the Tribes, and State-Building • The Political Challenge of Yemen's Southern Movement • War in From Local Insurrection to National Challenge • Instrumentalizing Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula Contributors include Sarah Phillips (Centre for International Security Studies, University of Sydney), Stephen Day (Rollins College), and Alistair Harris (RUSI and former diplomat and UN staff member).

110 pages, Paperback

First published July 2, 2010

About the author

Boucek was an associate in the Carnegie Middle East Program where his research focused on security challenges in the Arabian Peninsula and Northern Africa

Education
Ph.D. and M.A., School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London; B.A., Drew University

Reviews

[Kiyah Thompson · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good read for scholars and policy makers alike. Yemen on the Brink takes a look at the main factors threatening Yemen stability- the war in Saada, AQAP, and the Southern Movement.

The book also emphasizes the importance of addressing the underlying causes of social unrest in Yemen. In a world where Americns/Westerners may find themselves struck by post 9/11 fears and media over generalizations, Yemen On The Brink offers a distinctly un-Western approach to analyzing Yemen's problems