It took extra time to decide the newest Gulf Cup champion but when the dust settled (and there's a lot of dust in Yemen), Kuwait was victorious 1-0 over Saudi Arabia. This is the tenth time Kuwait has won the tournament out of 20 tournaments played. (I finally learned where the 20 in Gulf 20 came from). That's utter dominance considering the first tournament was held in 1970! Who knew, right?
Highlights from the game include the only goal scored and the yellow card the goal scorer received for taking off his shirt while celebrating. Oh the scandal. The card might have been for excessive celebration but it's funnier this way.
Most Yemenis I talked with wanted Kuwait to win. Saudi Arabia was not in the good graces of their hosts after the 4-0 drubbing they gave to the Yemen squad. In the true style of two countries with deep pockets, I heard both countries tried paying Yemen fans to wave their flags at the match. I wish I had known. I'm a fully qualified and trained flag waver. Sign me up.
Monday, December 6, 2010
Saturday, December 4, 2010
Trouble in Paradise
An article on Yemen has surfaced among the many articles coming out of the recent US diplomatic cable disclosure. The link to the Times article here
The article focuses on the role of the Yemen president in shaping US and western policy toward the country.
The article goes on to describe how the president uses the potential threat of terrorist strikes on western targets by Al-Qaeda to attract military and development aid. He seems to be playing the role of ally but what else could explain that behavior?
1. Saleh is a survivor. You don't stay in power of the poorest Arab country for 26 years by following the rules and certainly not by practicing democracy. The patronage system that permits him to stay in power is likely fragile and would fracture, causing instability, if the president could no longer supply it.
2. Al Qaeda is more a threat to Yemen than it is to the US. I have not read their mission statement but Al Qaeda in Yemen is more angry at Saudi Arabia and the Yemen government than they are at the US. Attacks on Yemen targets do not receive the same spotlight though thus that element is easily lost. By making AQAP the US's problem, Yemen receives fancy war toys that it can use on whom ever it wants.
3. Of the domestic insurrections facing the president, AQAP is not the most threatening. He has been fighting the Houti rebels along the Saudi Arabian border for the past couple summers and is also dealing with an increasingly rebellious south that threatens succession. Shrewdly, Saleh lumps AQAP and the southern movement into one threat justifying a hard hand in the south. While there is no denying that terrorism is a threat from Yemen and to Yemen, the Yemeni government inflates the threat of terrorism and gives little attention to the more serious threats of water depletion in the capital and the country's addiction to qat. With some probability will terrorism bring down Yemen but with a higher probability will lack of water and economic stagnation bring about trouble.
In terms of attracting foreign aid, it seems the Yemeni government is playing the tune the donors want to hear: terrorism. We must ask though if 'fighting' terrorism in Yemen is the right treatment. I see it as giving aspirin to a patient with a broken arm. You may relive the pain temporarily but the pain will return. Eventually, if the break, the source of the pain, is not addressed, the bone begins to set and even more drastic action is needed to set things right. Now, that example is not perfect. Western governments should not think of themselves as diplomatic doctors with the power to solve developing country issues but to the extent that terrorism is more a symptom of underlying imbalances and grievances than it is the broken bone itself, then the US and others have a responsibility to not continue offering pain killers if that distracts from the necessary course of action.
The article focuses on the role of the Yemen president in shaping US and western policy toward the country.
“Referencing the high poverty rate and illicit arms flows into both Yemen and Somalia, Saleh concluded by saying, ‘If you don’t help, this country will become worse than Somalia,’ ” said a September 2009 cable from the American ambassador, Stephen A. Seche, describing Mr. Saleh as being in “vintage form.”
The article goes on to describe how the president uses the potential threat of terrorist strikes on western targets by Al-Qaeda to attract military and development aid. He seems to be playing the role of ally but what else could explain that behavior?
1. Saleh is a survivor. You don't stay in power of the poorest Arab country for 26 years by following the rules and certainly not by practicing democracy. The patronage system that permits him to stay in power is likely fragile and would fracture, causing instability, if the president could no longer supply it.
2. Al Qaeda is more a threat to Yemen than it is to the US. I have not read their mission statement but Al Qaeda in Yemen is more angry at Saudi Arabia and the Yemen government than they are at the US. Attacks on Yemen targets do not receive the same spotlight though thus that element is easily lost. By making AQAP the US's problem, Yemen receives fancy war toys that it can use on whom ever it wants.
3. Of the domestic insurrections facing the president, AQAP is not the most threatening. He has been fighting the Houti rebels along the Saudi Arabian border for the past couple summers and is also dealing with an increasingly rebellious south that threatens succession. Shrewdly, Saleh lumps AQAP and the southern movement into one threat justifying a hard hand in the south. While there is no denying that terrorism is a threat from Yemen and to Yemen, the Yemeni government inflates the threat of terrorism and gives little attention to the more serious threats of water depletion in the capital and the country's addiction to qat. With some probability will terrorism bring down Yemen but with a higher probability will lack of water and economic stagnation bring about trouble.
In terms of attracting foreign aid, it seems the Yemeni government is playing the tune the donors want to hear: terrorism. We must ask though if 'fighting' terrorism in Yemen is the right treatment. I see it as giving aspirin to a patient with a broken arm. You may relive the pain temporarily but the pain will return. Eventually, if the break, the source of the pain, is not addressed, the bone begins to set and even more drastic action is needed to set things right. Now, that example is not perfect. Western governments should not think of themselves as diplomatic doctors with the power to solve developing country issues but to the extent that terrorism is more a symptom of underlying imbalances and grievances than it is the broken bone itself, then the US and others have a responsibility to not continue offering pain killers if that distracts from the necessary course of action.
Friday, December 3, 2010
Wait, we lost?
Fifa just announced it selection for the nations to host the 2018 and 2022 World Cups. Russia will host in 2018 and Qatar will host in 2022. Qatar and neighboring Arab nations are understandably extremely excited. Qatar will be the first Arab nation to host the World Cup and the first country in the Middle East. Russia, on its part, will be the first eastern European nation to host the event.
Al-Jazeera is currently running lead articles with the titles to the effect of "Britain jealous of Qatar" and "America cries over loss in World Cup bid."
Question: Is anyone in the US even aware that we are bidding to host the World Cup? No? Hm. I didn't think so.
The photos on the Al-Jazeera website showed joyous crowds in Qatar celebrating the announcement. I agree, it is an exciting time for Qatar and I'm sure they will be ready come 2022. Twelve years is a long time though. Teachers with classes of six to ten year olds should start taking names. They're instructing the age group that will get a free pass to the biggest football stage.
Al-Jazeera is currently running lead articles with the titles to the effect of "Britain jealous of Qatar" and "America cries over loss in World Cup bid."
Question: Is anyone in the US even aware that we are bidding to host the World Cup? No? Hm. I didn't think so.
The photos on the Al-Jazeera website showed joyous crowds in Qatar celebrating the announcement. I agree, it is an exciting time for Qatar and I'm sure they will be ready come 2022. Twelve years is a long time though. Teachers with classes of six to ten year olds should start taking names. They're instructing the age group that will get a free pass to the biggest football stage.
Monday, November 22, 2010
Saudi Arabia: 4 Good ol' Yemen: 0
The game last night did not go has hoped for the Yemen faithful. Saudi Arabia struck early and then poured it on in the second half winning the match 4 goals to none. Saudi Arabia's first goal, I was told, came in the opening minutes off a free kick near the Yemen goal. The ball was crossed and headed in by the taller Saudi Arabian players over the undersized Yemeni squad. That set the tone for the rest of the evening.
I was getting a hair cut during the game. As the updated score came into the barber shop and it became clear the ol' fightin' Yemenis were going to lose, the barbers conversation turned from how the game was going to noting how the entire Yemen team was from the north and that there's only one player from Aden. If there were more southerns, why, we all know the outcome would have been different.
I was getting a hair cut during the game. As the updated score came into the barber shop and it became clear the ol' fightin' Yemenis were going to lose, the barbers conversation turned from how the game was going to noting how the entire Yemen team was from the north and that there's only one player from Aden. If there were more southerns, why, we all know the outcome would have been different.
Football Fever
has come to Aden. Tonight is the opening match of the Gulf 20 football tournament pitting the host country Yemen against Saudi Arabia. Aden is typically fairly quiet but excitement for the match has people out honking their horns and basically making noise with anything they can find. The past couple days I have been hearing what sounds like wailing camel noises (not that I know what wailing camels sound like) from the streets around my building. It turns out those large plastic horns (a la World Cup South Africa) made it to Yemen. Fresh Yemen flag adorn dashboards or trail behind cars like capes. One kid hanging out the window of a bus waving a flag tried to hit me with it. Not cool.
If the atmosphere in the city is not crazy enough, get this: The game is free. While it is hard not to go to a free soccer match, I think the same bet for me is to avoid the crowds and pandemonium at the stadium and watch on TV. The organizers must be nuts. Free? I guess they really want a big crowd. I heard that this is the only free match of the tournament.
For more check out www.yemengulfcup20.com
If the atmosphere in the city is not crazy enough, get this: The game is free. While it is hard not to go to a free soccer match, I think the same bet for me is to avoid the crowds and pandemonium at the stadium and watch on TV. The organizers must be nuts. Free? I guess they really want a big crowd. I heard that this is the only free match of the tournament.
For more check out www.yemengulfcup20.com
Tuesday, November 9, 2010
Dinner with the Yemeni Space Program
I can't remember if I've written about this or not. Apologies if I have.
Do you all remember that scene from Apollo 13 near the end of the movie when the astronauts re-enter the earth's atmosphere? The world watches with bated breath as the space capsule breaches the atmosphere and seemingly bursts into flames. The fate of three heroic astronauts hung in the balance that day. A similar instance happened over dinner tonight. In the balance? My beans.
Yemeni chefs love, read LOVE, to crank up the gas when cooking. From my seat I could see the roaring foot high flame curl around the poor pan in which my dinner to be either cooked or incinerated. I remember asking my parents at some point why we baked cookies at 350 degrees for 11 minutes and not 450 for 6 minutes. More heat, faster cooking time, cookies in my belly sooner. It's a win win. Yemeni chefs totally embrace that logic. To their credit, no meal arrives cold.
I hope I'm not ruining a good movie (or history story) for some of you but the astronauts survive. Fortunately, my beans did as well. And they were tasty too.
Do you all remember that scene from Apollo 13 near the end of the movie when the astronauts re-enter the earth's atmosphere? The world watches with bated breath as the space capsule breaches the atmosphere and seemingly bursts into flames. The fate of three heroic astronauts hung in the balance that day. A similar instance happened over dinner tonight. In the balance? My beans.
Yemeni chefs love, read LOVE, to crank up the gas when cooking. From my seat I could see the roaring foot high flame curl around the poor pan in which my dinner to be either cooked or incinerated. I remember asking my parents at some point why we baked cookies at 350 degrees for 11 minutes and not 450 for 6 minutes. More heat, faster cooking time, cookies in my belly sooner. It's a win win. Yemeni chefs totally embrace that logic. To their credit, no meal arrives cold.
I hope I'm not ruining a good movie (or history story) for some of you but the astronauts survive. Fortunately, my beans did as well. And they were tasty too.
Thursday, November 4, 2010
Face lifts
Don't worry, I haven't done anything drastic. Aden, however, is getting a drastic makeover in anticipation of the Gulf 20 Soccer Tournament that will be held here November 22 to December 5th.
The Gulf 20 is a regional tournament for gulf states. The participating countries this year are: Yemen, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Bahrain, Iraq, and the Emirates. For those counters out there, you're right, that's only eight countries. I checked the schedule and there are only 16 games in the tournament. I'm not sure where the 20 in the title comes from.
The government allocated 120 million Yemeni riyals, almost half a million dollars, to build, repair and refurbish stadiums, roads, and public spaces. It seems almost anything that can be painted is getting a fresh coat of paint. Aden will look nice! Not that it looks that bad now but it will looker nicer. While the new appearance is a welcome change, it sense that it will be a veneer that will fade when the tournament and tourists leave. I'm interested to see what the hangover from the tournament is like.
And then there's the 30,000 army troops sent to the Aden and Abayan area to protect teams and citizens. A British friend of mine was joking that Yemen would have real security problems if the British national team and its fans were coming. Ha.
The Gulf 20 is a regional tournament for gulf states. The participating countries this year are: Yemen, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Bahrain, Iraq, and the Emirates. For those counters out there, you're right, that's only eight countries. I checked the schedule and there are only 16 games in the tournament. I'm not sure where the 20 in the title comes from.
The government allocated 120 million Yemeni riyals, almost half a million dollars, to build, repair and refurbish stadiums, roads, and public spaces. It seems almost anything that can be painted is getting a fresh coat of paint. Aden will look nice! Not that it looks that bad now but it will looker nicer. While the new appearance is a welcome change, it sense that it will be a veneer that will fade when the tournament and tourists leave. I'm interested to see what the hangover from the tournament is like.
And then there's the 30,000 army troops sent to the Aden and Abayan area to protect teams and citizens. A British friend of mine was joking that Yemen would have real security problems if the British national team and its fans were coming. Ha.
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