Inspired by Tunisia and Egypt, Yemenis join in anti-government protests
By Sudarsan Raghavan
Washington Post Foreign Service
Thursday, January 27, 2011; 8:57 AM
SANAA, YEMEN - Thousands of Yemenis took to the streets Thursday demanding an end to the government of President Ali Abdullah Saleh, who has ruled this impoverished Middle Eastern nation for more than three decades.
The rally, one of the largest demonstrations this capital has seen in recent memory, unfolded in four different neighborhoods and was inspired by the uprisings in Tunisia and Egypt.
Yemen's unrest represents a widening of the upheavals unfolding across the Arab world. It poses yet another threat to the stability of this U.S. ally, which al-Qaeda militants are using as a base to target the West and its allies.
"Look at Tunisia with pride," the crowds chanted. "Yemen has strong people, too."
The protests followed two days of riots in Egypt and daily demonstrations on the streets of Tunisian capital, Tunis. But unlike the protests in Tunisia and Egypt, Thursday's rally here was peaceful. It was fueled by boisterous opposition party members, from socialists to Islamists, and youth activists...