The news coming from Yemen is a source of concern. The clashes between the army and the Houthis have turned into an effective war. The recent clashes between the Houthis and Sunni tribes in Sa'ada are extremely serious. The disturbances of the past weeks in the southern provinces are no simple matter. The return of some people to the secessionist slogans heralds great troubles in Yemen. The Yemeni scene wouldn't be complete without taking into account Al Qaeda. Its dream of entrenching itself in Yemen is no secret. It bets on various elements: the rough landscape, the demographics, the tribal structure, the spreading of weapons, and the limited presence of the state in the regions that are traditionally controlled by accomplished facts. All these elements heighten Al Qaeda's desire to localize itself in Yemen after the blow it received in Iraq and its defeat in Saudi Arabia. Al Qaeda is currently trying to revive sectarian strife in Iraq, with the hope of entrenching itself back in Sunni regions. The result is not guaranteed. It is betting on Yemen in order to move from it to Saudi Arabia at a later stage. The Palestinian scene isn't that bright either. There is no doubt that Fatah's success in holding its conference on Palestinian land after a 20-year suspension during which the founding leader was absent is considered to be a major event. However, holding a conference is not enough. The destruction of the Palestinian house seems to run deep. Hamas' prevention of the Fatah supporters of Gaza from taking part in the conference is not a harmless stance. Dealing with the members of the other side as if they are hostages in Gaza or the West Bank gives the impression that dialogue between Hamas and Fatah resembles deceitfulness. It is a shameful sight. The smell of a comprehensive national failure prevails in Beirut. Only failure is national and comprehensive. All the other calculations are smaller than the country's surface area. It is a country that is unable to form a government without resorting to all types of regional and international assistance, intervention, and bandages. It is a country that is unable to appoint an employee without writhing interminably at the sound of sectarian and regional differences. There is the smell of blatant national failure. Politicians get trained on the blood of citizens and the flesh of the country. They clash without any limits, criteria, or sanctions. Then they feel repentant, turn around, swim, and give excuses that are worse than their sins. You have no right to put the fate of your children in the hands of such politicians. They despise people and treat them as if they were idiots. Do politicians have the right to commit a sea of sins and exaggerations then have a sudden awakening of conscience and change their gown, cap, and dictionary? They discover geography as if it had not been there before, and history as if it had been hidden. They discover evidences as if they have not been known since the beginning of time. Pity the citizens in this country suffering from politics that is full of adroitness and humiliation. Pity the martyrs; they are killed again and again after their death. They are stabbed many times at length. It is probable that they were hasty in believing the speakers who belatedly rediscover evidences. Even farther than Yemen, Palestine, Lebanon, and the regional climate of sectarian tensions, there is Iran with its nuclear file and its possibilities. There is its incapacity to be an ordinary or normal state. There is also the Israeli beast and its constant military readiness. It is a troubled region where many collapses are expected. Betting on Barack Obama is not enough to dissipate worries. Any success of Israel in exhausting its launching will deepen the feelings of despair in the region and multiply fires and suicidal practices. The region is bound to have an umbrella to prevent any hurling into the abyss. Four states can constitute the basis of this umbrella: Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Syria, and Turkey. Any serious and effective meeting among these states will send a signal of stability in the region. It will affect the Iraqis, Palestinians, Lebanese, and Yemenis. It will encourage Iran to deal realistically inside the region. It will constitute a decisive message in the face of Israel. It will incite America and Europe to deal with the regional crises in a more just and responsible manner. It will prevent suicide bombers from finding safe havens. The quartet umbrella increases Obama's chances of success and prevents a great collapse in the region in case of failure.
