Word: yemen
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Dates: during 1950-1959
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...Yemen. Temporarily in charge of the reform-minded Prince Badr (TIME, June 29) while his father, the gory Imam, is off in Rome. Chances are that when papa returns shortly, things will go from Badr to worse...
There are no rules of hereditary succession to the feudal throne of the Imam of Yemen, and the reigning Sword of Islam wields it only so long as he can keep his enemies at bay. The enemies are many, the proliferation of pretenders spawned by his multi-wived Moslem relatives. But on his side the Imam has absolute powers : Macbeth's castle and the Borgia palaces were holiday resorts compared with present-day Yemen, where ten of the current Imam's brothers and most of his dozen sons have died violently in family infighting and palace intrigues...
...Three months ago. suffering from arthritis, rheumatism and heart trouble, the Imam traipsed off to Italy for a rest cure, traveling light with only one wife and one concubine (the other women in the entourage, explained an aide, are not his). The old man left Badr in charge in Yemen, and everyone expected trouble. Sure enough, trouble came...
Hopeful that this flex of sinews would be enough, Badr invited Yemen's more than 50,000 "expatriate brothers" scattered across the Middle East to come home and "participate by using their capital where it is needed." He also appointed an eight-man representative council of regional leaders to advise him. But Yemen's troubles had just begun...
...began shooting it up. Surrendering to save his family, the judge was killed on the spot, and then, in that favorite democratic ritual in the Middle East, his body was dragged through the streets. In the excitement, civil control collapsed and the army last week took over Taiz, Yemen's second capital, and for good measure seized Hodeida, the main Red Sea port, as well...