There are at least four reasons why the Yemen crises can have remarkable international effects. First of all, it can have economic consequences because of the eventual obstacles to oil trade in the Red Sea. Every day 3.5 million barrels of oil are delivered through the Bab-el-Mandeb strait, located between Yemen (on the Arabian Peninsula) and Djibouti and Somalia (in the horn of Africa). It is probable that if the Yemen crises continues, oil traffic will be hindered with inevitable rises on fuel prices. Second, the dangerous links between Yemeni and Somali criminals could strengthen. Somali pirates have already attacked cargo boats near Yemen's coast, and political instability will allow more and more attacks. Moreover, there is human trafficking between Africa and the Arabian Peninsula, dealt by Somali and Yemeni groups, which will take advantage from the absence of Yemen patrols due to internal disorders. Third, the winds of the revolution could reach Riyadh. If a peoples uprising breaks out in Saudi Arabia, there will be inevitable catastrophic consequences on international oil prices. And that will occur while a global economic crisis is still far from recovering. Last, international terrorism connected with Al-Qaeda could strengthen. In Yemen there are several Al-Qaeda groups. One of their leaders is Anwar Al-Awlaki, who is well known for his ability to use of the Internet as a propaganda machine. No doubt that an unstable country will facilitate their activities, both at the internal and at the international level. BM
