My own opinion is that Hadi's role will be a lot longer than a two year term, and that is exactly what Saudi Arabia, and possibly the United States, wants to see happen, because the conservative devil you know is better than the progressive devil you don't know.

Diplomats, like all humans, develop trust and even friendship, which can be used or abused to influence opinions and hence decisions in politics. It is to his credit that Dr. Al-Qirbi has been such an effective ambassador for Ali Abdulla Saleh. But it is equally to the misfortune and detriment of the Yemeni nation.

In my blog about Yemen, published by the Huffington Post dated Sept. 28, I said, "Saleh will offer some real concessions which will stop short of his ...

Arab nations that succeed in overthrowing their dictators have to ensure that any future presidents, whether civilian or military, are never allowed to appoint their sons to vital positions, especially any military or police or security ones.

Believe me when I say that writing this has also been a painful decision, provoked by the sight of the two Yemeni doctors on TV, who might have been the two of us 30 years ago, clamoring for medical equipment and ambulances.