Professor Voices » Yemen

Charles Dunbar available to comment on Yemen

Jo Breiner — Fri, 25 Mar 2011 14:35:12 +0000

Boston University international relations professor Charles Dunbar was a State Department foreign service officer from 1962-1993. He served as U.S. ambassador to Yemen from 1988-1991. Professor Dunbar is available to offer insight and analysis into the protests which are continuing to intensify in Yemen.

Contact 617-353-5633, cfdunbar@bu.edu

Experts available to comment on the Middle East

Jo Breiner — Fri, 04 Mar 2011 16:20:16 +0000

The following Boston University professors are available to offer commentary, analysis and insight on the continuing turmoil in the Middle East.

Augustus Richard Norton, International relations professor; Middle East specialist and a member of the Baker-Hamilton Iraq Study Group; Author of “Hezbollah: A Short History”

Contact 617-353-7808, arn@bu.edu, Twitter: @arnorton

Adil Najam, International relations professor; Director of the Frederick S. Pardee Center for the Study of the Longer-Range Future; Expert on Pakistan and Middle East politics

Contact 617-358-4002, anajam@bu.edu, Twitter: @adilnajam

Charles Dunbar, International relations professor; Former U.S. ambassador to Yemen

Contact 617-353-5633, cfdunbar@bu.edu

Stephen Kinzer, International relations professor; Former award winning New York Times foreign correspondent; Author of “Reset: Iran, Turkey and America’s Future”

Contact 617-358-6240, skinzer@bu.edu

Joseph Wippl, International relations professor; a 30-year CIA veteran

Contact 617-353-8992, jwippl@bu.edu

Robert Zelnick, Journalism professor; Former ABC News foreign correspondent; Regular contributor to PoliticoArena

Contact 617-353-5007, bzelnick@bu.edu

Farouk El-Baz, Research professor & Director of the Center for Remote Sensing; Expert in Middle East current events

Contact 617-353-9709, farouk@bu.edu

Were the uprisings in Egypt just the beginning for the Persian Gulf?

Jo Breiner — Mon, 14 Feb 2011 18:30:06 +0000

Thousands of protesters are taking to the streets in Iran, Bahrain, and Yemen following the recent uprisings in Egypt and Tunisia. Boston University international relations professor Stephen Kinzer, former New York Times foreign correspondent and author of “Reset: Iran, Turkey and America’s Future,” was recently interviewed on The Takeway with his thoughts on what is next for the region.

“There are many forces in these countries that are deeply vested in the status quo. Things will be the same for security forces in many of these countries and for ruling elites if there is a change in regime and many of them are deeply worried about that.”

Listen to full interview.

Contact Stephen Kinzer, 617-358-6240, skinzer@bu.edu

Yemen president won’t seek re-election

Jo Breiner — Wed, 02 Feb 2011 16:42:44 +0000

President Ali Abdullah Saleh of Yemen has announced that he will not seek re-election in 2013. Boston University international relations professor Charles Dunbar is a former U.S. ambassador to Yemen. He offers the following view of this current development in the Middle East.

“I am skeptical that President Saleh will not seek reelection. He and the country are in deep trouble. The country’s high population growth rate makes a mockery of the plan to establish a fund to employ university graduates.

“A major difference between Yemen on the one hand and Egpyt and Tunisia on the other is that the opposition can all off demonstrations. In one sense, this is good news for all concerned in that there can be a discussion of transferring power and reforming the country that would be broad based.

“The opposition should negotiate but keep the demonstrators on call. Saleh has used his oil revenues to build a patronage network; trying to force him from office could lead to serious fighting. It’s a very messed up country that is a substantial headache for the U.S.”

Contact Charles Dunbar, 617-353-5633, cfdunbar@bu.edu