According to a new analysis by LIGNET.com , President Saleh’s foot dragging and political games is reducing the prospects for a peaceful political transition in Yemen. President Saleh recently authorized his Vice President Abdu Rabo Mansour Hadi to negotiate with the opposition to sign a power transition agreement on his behalf, prompting rallies by hundreds of thousands of protestors around the country demanding Saleh step down. The protestors were protected by troops loyal to General Ali Mohsen al-Ahmar who defected in March and has since worked with the billionaire Hamid al-Ahmar, a popular leader of several northern tribes who has helped finance the protests.

In response, the Yemeni military attacked tribesmen allied with anti-government protestors in the Arhab province north of Sana’a, killing seven civilians. The Yemeni government argued their attacks were justified against the tribesmen, who the government alleges have links to al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP).

Saleh’s tactics may be greatly decreasing prospects for a peaceful transition of power, especially the attacks on Yemeni tribes. According to LIGNET.com,

“Continued attacks on tribes and the forces of General al-Ahmar in Yemen have caused increased instability and raise the odds that civil war may still erupt between tribesmen and government forces controlled by Saleh’s family.”

Click HERE to read the full analysis of this story from LIGNET.com , a new Washington, DC-based intelligence analysis and forecasting service.