Yemen: oil and politics mix explosively

Oil is an inflammatory issue in the Yemen - literally as well as figuratively. Saboteurs are repeatedly attacking the oil pipeline to the Red Sea, most recently producing impressive pyrotechnics, and also highlighting their bargaining power vis-a-vis the central government. The political impact is no less impressive - Yemen's oil income is seen to be upsetting the political balance in the Arabian Peninsula, to the detriment of the Saudis. Each million dollars collected from oil by the central government in Sana'a dilutes the influence of Saudi money amongst the tribes in the provinces, so that ''oil'' in the Yemen is as important to Riyadh as it is to Sana'a, in spite of the relatively small volumes. (author)