Having lived in Yemen a number of years ago, I will venture a guess that like Afghanistan (and for similar reasons) Yemen history, culture and ‘politics’ more naturally fit into something like the UAE model, a loose federation of 7 tribal states, each overseen by a prince/sheik and ruled by a president/king.

It took the Russians 10 years to realize that its ‘mission’ (a socialist state) in Afghanstan could not be accomplished. (Let’s hope it doesn’t take us 10 years.)  Let’s also hope that if we decide to-do-something-about-Yemen, we’ll tackle the task with the full realization that our ‘standard’ strategies/tactics aimed at Americanizing a foreign country will fail in the end.

The President of Yemen and most of the top leadership in the Govt are Zaydis a Shi’ite group distinct from the Twelvers of Iran and Ismailis (the Seveners). The Ismailis were once the largest Shi’ite Group - Fatimid Dynasty in Egypt. Iran is Twelver as are Iraqis and Shi’ah in other GCC countries.