Yemen to seek nuclear power

Yemen's president says he will seek to produce nuclear energy for civilian use as he registered his candidacy for a new term.

Ali Abdullah Saleh was quoted by the official Saba news agency as saying: "My future tasks include the huge development file... and that of the energy production required to meet growing needs, including producing electricity through nuclear energy."

Speaking last month during the standoff between Iran and Western nations over Tehran's nuclear programme, Salah had defended "the right of Arab countries to produce nuclear energy for peaceful purposes".
_____________________________

This move makes no logical sense if you consider the fact that Yemen, as of 2003, produced more electricity than it consumed. The numbers are from the CIA's World Factbook: Production, 3.848 billion kWh; Consumption, 2.827 billion kWh. The only reason - if those numbers are even close to accurate - that this posturing has transpired to throw more grease on the wheels of slipping US credibility in the current US nuclear standoff with Iran and North Korea.

Yemen acquits 19 men in al-Qaeda linked trial

The Council on Foreign Relations considers Yemen a "haven of terrorism"

The US State Department has reissued a travel warning regarding Yemen