Yemeni Conflict Turning into the Wild West

Yemeni President Saleh was wounded in the head Friday while at prayers in his palace with other members of his government. Several ministers were also reportedly wounded and six guards killed.

This is the first time that tribal leader Sadeq al-Ahmar’s forces have attacked the presidential palace. It came after Saleh’s troops attacked the houses of two of al-Ahmar’s brothers.

The Yemeni conflict appears to be turning into one between Saleh’s followers and the Hassid tribal group led by Sadeq al-Ahmar.

What is sure is that it is the Yemeni citizens who are being caught in the middle, afraid to leave their homes and finding it more and more difficult to work, buy food or live normally.

The Gulf Cooperation Council and the United States are trying to calm the waters and find a negotiated truce, but neither Saleh nor al-Ahmar seems interested.

It is hard to believe that Yemen is so important to the success of defeating al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula that neither America nor Saudi Arabia will move decisively against the Saleh regime.

The Yemen crisis would make a good western film if it weren’t so sad to watch adults stupidly attempting to solve their differences with guns and bombs. It used to be an honor for a cowboy or Texas Ranger to die with his boots on but Yemen is not the Wild West and neither Saleh nor al-Ahmar is behaving honorably.

About the best thing to be said for Yemen is that, unlike Syria’s al-Assad, the protagonists are killing each other but many fewer civilians, although even one innocent bystander killed is too many.