The crises in Yemen and Syria

Air Date: June 9, 2011

Hour 1

Yemeni children and female anti-government protestors celebrate President Ali Abdullah Saleh's departure to Saudi Arabia, Monday, June 6, 2011. (AP Photo/Hani Mohammedi)

The government crackdown in Syria has resulted in the killing hundreds of protesters amid reports of extreme human rights violations . Pressure on President Bashar al-Assad is mounting as the U.N. considers an official condemnation on his authoritarian regime. Meanwhile tensions on the Israel-Syrian border remain high. In Yemen, where peaceful protests have also turned violent, the political opposition is pushing for an immediate transition in government, but the situation has been complicated by the evacuation of President Ali Abdullah Saleh to Saudi Arabia where he is recovering from massive injuries incurred in an attack on his compound. We talk about the roots of the uprisings that have swept Syria and Yemen and the complications that challenge the situation in these countries and the broader Arab world. Our guests are CHRISTOPHER BOUCEK of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace and MONA YACOUBIAN of the United States institute of Peace.

Listen to the mp3

Listen:
[audio: 060911_100630.mp3]

WHYY is your source for fact-based, in-depth journalism and information. As a nonprofit organization, we rely on financial support from readers like you. Please give today.