Source: Leonard Lopate Show
Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh has been able to stay in power for over three decades by being a shrewd political tactician, explained Carnegie’s Christopher Boucek on The Leonard Lopate Show. Yemen is an extremely fractious country and Saleh has skillfully played different sides off of each other to ensure that no one group or figure can attain enough power to challenge him. Christopher Boucek noted that “Saleh is the only indispensable political actor in Yemen,” which makes Saleh’s abdication of power extremely problematic. The key to meeting the demands of Yemeni protesters and creating an environment conducive to stability will be to organize an orderly transition of power that does not create a vacuum after the departure of Saleh.