[hennie pennie]

>>>> "The Yemen thing is a bit scary just because it seems AQ or similar groups could just keep popping up in weak or failed states. I don't know all that much about the situation there, but it seems like it could boil over in some fashion." <<<<

I agree, I find the situation in Yemen to be frightening and frankly have for many years.

The other night I heard several talking heads on BBC radio saying that the area in question in HUGE, and has NO infrastructure, none. They didn't mean it had poor infrastructure or little infrastructure -- they repetitively said there was NO infrastructure whatsoever, not even a road.

I mean... I'm sure that the al Quaedans must have cell phones and perhaps there are satellite dishes for some online broadband --- but essentially this huge area is stark wild --- thus the inhabitants live in very primative, very old fashioned conditions.

Have you ever seen pictures of the capitol, Saana?

The Smithsonian did a spread sometime last decade -- it is really gorgeous, the traditional building style is beautiful.

[FARS]

Having been in Yemen and the mountain strongholds of the Iranian backed Shia tribes, getting up at six in the morning in one mountain top town/fort, descending a mountain side (with mules, riding where or when possible)to the valley below, then climbing up the other side and hopefully arriving at the next mountain top town/fort .by dark. Did this for weeks on a daily basis.

Infrastructure can be defined at BEST as paths, some dating back hundreds of years, zig-zagging up mountain sides or often vertical faces, barely wide enough for a mule and occasional “pass by” wider curves.

Luckily traffic is extremely sparse and usually skirt wearing mountain tribesmen without any beasts. To avoid being spotted as a outsider I wore a khaki turban and long skirt over my khaki trousers.