O’Neill and al-Hurra (Live blogging)

It is late here but I’m watching al-Hurra’s Free Hour, as you all should be, it is pretty much like I remember it – people screaming at each other, right now Dr. Muhammad al-Zahari is yelling about the US airstrikes on Dec 17 – the only improvement is one of this blog’s favorite author’s Brian O’Neill is making an appearance.

More than just a talented writer he is also easy on the eyes, like some sort of a young Hitchens minus the self-destructive tendencies. I’m digging the casual look (no tie, open collar; nice) with a goatee – seriously this is how I like my news: delivered by a pretty face.

Ok, al-Zahari stop screaming at the Saudi that he doesn’t live in Yemen, there isn’t much he can do about that.

Adal Darwish is up: what did he just say the Huthis were getting aid from Iran – or did I hear him incorrectly?

C’mon set this guy straight.

Alright, Brian is up: this is a softball question, if it ever ends, that is. Ok. Good nothing like grounding your answer in historical answers. I hope he said the civil war in 1994, cause it got translated as the civil war in 1974. Oops.

O c’mon don’t interrupt, he was on a role. Ok, interesting question on unity – Southern movement not a violent threat – hmm? Maybe. Ok, not in the same league as AQAP for violence.

Now Yahya al-Amir from Riyadh: talking about the Huthis. (I think I have heard this program a number of times in the past two years – can’t we do better.) Some new analysis, something. O’Neill is a lone bright point here.

Somebody say something about the Marib shaykhs from Jahm, including relatives of the governor, heading up to Sa’dah to swear support to ‘Abd al-Malik al-Huthi.

Is the continual hammering away at the hierarchy of threats really that important.

Love the facial expressions on Adal Darwish. Brian could learn something here.

Everyone looks mildly amused with al-Zahari, like the last guest at the party who won’t shut up, but is so insistent that he is saying something that is truly important, so important he has to talk at a run in decibels best kept to soccer stadiums.

Relationship between terrorists and secessionists – Yemen decoder ring time.

And that is it. I was hoping for another round robbin answer from Brian, but such is life. Till the next bomb in Yemen that puts the country back in the news.

PS: Looking back over my first and, likely, only attempt at live blogging, I have to say that most of it is gibberish and probably not worth your time. But since you have already read this far, I guess that point is mute.