Many Muslims see Yemen as a sanctuary , a tranquil home of Islam that stays close to tradition. This positive image for the faithful persists despite the conflict that broke out in 2004 between the government and Shi'ite rebels. Young Muslims, who want to study Arabic and religion, in a more authentic environment, often take a journey to Sanaa. Meanwhile, however, Yemen is a hot spot in the world's ongoing conflict over the question of clerical rule. Is clerical rule (particularly in the Muslim world) increasing or decreasing? Is it becoming more or less popular? We allege in the United States that the number of democratic countries is increasing. On the other hand, constitutional developments in Iraq and Afghanistan are increasingly based on religious principles.
Reuters reported this past Monday that Yemeni officials are saying: "the rebels want to return to a form of clerical rule prevalent in the country until the 1960s." The rebels belong to the Shi'ite branch of Islam, particularly the Zaydi sect. Friday, May 2, 2008, a bomb explosion in northern Yemen killed at least 12 people outside a mosque. And, of course, whenever there is a debate about clerical rule , the question of Iranian influence is always in the background. The Yemeni government "has accused the Houthi rebels of receiving support from Iran." While Western media are analyzing the situation from the perspective of the War on Terror and whether Yemen is a safe haven for terrorists (al-Qaeda specifically), IRIN News has reported that the rebel leader, Abdul-Malik al-Houthi is calling for help because of the devastating effects of Yemen's “stop-go” conflict.