NATIONAL REVIEW 05/12/14 By Michael Shank What should be haram (“forbidden” in Arabic) in dealing with Nigeria’s now infamous and increasingly violent Boko Haram, after the group kidnapped more than 250 schoolgirls last month, is an approach that is as rudimentary as that of the kidnappers themselves. The group, officially […]
CDN 05/09/14 By Michael Shank WASHINGTON, May 9, 2014 — Trust is essential for any society to function. If it’s not there, political and economic progress is impossible. That’s exactly what’s happening in Yemen right now. From the public’s perspective in Sana’a, the transitional government cannot be trusted, nor can […]
HUFFINGTON POST 05/09/14 By Michael Shank This week in Yemen – with foreign reporters getting deported and the blood of dead Yemeni soldiers staining the grounds of the presidential palace – is reaffirming for many in Washington the preconditioned negative image of the country, one predominantly characterized by al Qaeda’s […]
ROLL CALL 05/08/14 By Michael Shank For many in Congress, Yemen evokes a predominantly negative image, one characterized by al-Qaida. Recent targeting of German and Russian nationals in Sana’a doesn’t help. Preparing for my recent trip there, I was warned about kidnapping. While kidnapping of foreigners is not uncommon, my […]
BBC NEWS 05/07/14 By Michael Shank A review of the best commentary on and around the world… Today’s must-read Yemen A nation in dire need of help – Yemen is facing the seemingly impossible task of trying to build a nation torn apart by an “Arab Spring-like revolution”, writes Michael […]
POLITIX 05/07/14 By Michael Shank Trust is essential for any society to function. If it’s not there, political and economic progress is impossible. That’s exactly what’s happening in Yemen right now. From the public’s perspective in Sana’a where I spent the last week, the transitional government cannot be trusted, nor […]
US NEWS & WORLD REPORT 05/06/14 By Michael Shank Yemen needs international support to overcome serious political and economic hurdles. SANAA, YEMEN – Building a nation after an Arab Spring-like revolution isn’t easy, especially when corruption is rampant, the population is starving and the country is running out of water. […]
CDN 04/27/14 By Michael Shank WASHINGTON, April 27, 2014 — America is leaving a devastating legacy in Yemen thanks to its program of drone strikes. Without question, America’s approach is doing much to destabilize this impoverished country, undermine constitutional and electoral efforts to unify her people, and devastate the local […]
CDN 04/18/14 By Michael Shank WASHINGTON, April 18, 2014 — The Friends Committee on National Legislation (FCNL) urges Congress, the Obama administration and policymakers throughout the European Union to adopt policies toward the Ukraine crisis that deescalate the conflict while providing a constructive path forward. The diplomatic deal struck this […]
US NEWS & WORLD REPORT 04/14/14 By Michael Shank The United States Department of Defense used it recently in Yemen and Pakistan. The U.S. State Department is using it right now in Afghanistan and Nigeria. The U.S. Agency for International Development used it in the last elections in Kenya. It’s […]