Bye-Bye Bodine! [Archives:2001/37/Focus]

Jalal Al-Sharaabi
The US Ambassador to the Republic of Yemen in Sana’a, Barbara Bodine, achieved her diplomatic mission in the country. The time she spent here has been full of excitement as the Yemeni-American bilateral relations reached a climax.
Bodine’s political skills enabled her to impose the absolute power of America in Sana’a. The American female Ambassador was not a diplomatic figure like any other foreign diplomat.
She ignited inquiries of the monitors and, after opening numerous files in Yemen, she was successful in strengthening her relations with the Yemeni political leadership.
The challenges and obstacles occurred during Bodine’s era in Yemen were numerous, as American interests witnessed continuous attacks which ended with the latest USS Cole accident. Despite that, she was able to preserve a balanced American policies in Yemen. It is funny to mention that she has been accused of serving the Yemeni government.
The frequent visits of American senior officials in Sana’a, when Bodine was still the US ambassador, drew the attention of all the political monitors who believed she originated the Yemeni offer of military installations to the United States.
The former Commander of the American central forces, Zinin, initiated the visits of the American top officials to Yemen after which projects of bilateral cooperation were signed either in the field of food grants, or other kinds of support in the mines removal, or in connection with military cooperation and coordination through training and maneuvers.
The American attitude towards the 1994 civil war in Yemen was of great importance because the US gave Yemen the green light to enter Aden and fire leaders of the Yemeni Socialist Party (YSP). At that time, America was relying upon David Newton as its ambassador to Yemen.
With evidence, Bodine was the most skilled professional who has designed the US policies in Yemen. Her unparalleled intelligence and coolness made her achieve unprecedented access for America in the country.
While bidding farewell to Bodine, we are welcoming James Edmond the new US ambassador to Yemen.
Edmond is known as the draftsman of the international terrorism and local aggressions act at the US Department of State.
The Yemeni authorities decorated Bodine with the first rank medal of the Unity. By this mean, the Yemeni government recognized her success which contradicts with the belief of many members of the American congress. The future might reveal some hidden facts related to Bodine’s role in Yemen.
The newly-appointed American ambassador may enjoy more levy than Bodine in order to deal with some complex and sensitive issues such as the Islamists, The World Bank and the International Monetary Fund, the frequent kidnappings, and the suspension of the Food Grants according to the Food Program No. (416).

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