ed. martha: we have breaking developments in the middle east. yemen s president announce he will step down. he would like that to be under the conditions of turn can it over to somebody with clean hand as he described it. the stability of the yemen government is crucial for the u.s. yemen has been a key ally and key butter in terms of al qaeda. having stability there is critical. i really am struck by this. as you look at what s going on around the world. you have the potential for this situation to arise. where you have changeover of government in potentially bahrain, yemen, potentially libya, tunisia, egypt, and you have al qaeda with their own interest in these nations and us
they re technologically savvy, politically sophisticated, socially conscious. they what s going on around the world, internet or satellite tv and they want what they see around them and the idea that the regimes can contain a monopoly on the levers of communication has become something of a fantasy now. there s no way that you can keep these kids in the dark any longer and we re seeing the results of this. and reza, whether egypt or libya or bahrain, we are seeing the young protesters are taking the lead and leaving behind the traditional opposition party. so when all the dust settles here, what role will the opposition parties have and what role will the young people have? well, that s certainly remains to be seen and it certainly depends on the country we are talking about but the best example is egypt where during the two and a half weeks of that uprising most western analysts kept assuming
that s about three quarters under the age of 35. and more importantly, this is a youth bulge that is globalized, they re technologically savvy, politically sophisticated, socially conscious. they see what s going on around the world, internet or satellite tv and they want what they see around them and the idea that the regimes can contain a monopoly on the levers of communication has become something of a fantasy now. there s no way that you can keep these kids in the dark any longer and we re seeing the results of this. and reza, whether egypt or libya or bahrain, we are seeing the young protesters are taking the lead and leaving behind the traditional opposition party. so when all the dust settles here, what role will the opposition parties have and what role will the young people have? well, that s certainly remains to be seen and it certainly depends on the country we are talking about but the
aslan in new york. the author of no god but god. welcome. how s a demographic change over the past 50 years transforming the arab world? you re talking about a region that s about three quarters under the age of 35. and more importantly, this is a youth bulge that is globalized, they re technologically savvy, politically sophisticated, socially conscious. they what s going on around the world, internet or satellite tv and whthey want what they see around them and the idea that the regimes can contain a monopoly on the levers of communication has become something of a fantasy now. there s no way that you can keep these kids in the dark any longer and we re seeing the results of this. and reza, whether egypt or libya or bahrain, we are seeing
project around the world. it s a sport people associate with the wine swilling country club lifestyle. right. and then finally, let me talk to you about the work the president has to do while there. he s not off. presidents still receives daily briefing every day and has a number of staff with him. absolutely. every morning, the intel officers come in and tell him what s going on around the world. i m sure he s in touch with his national security adviser. his interim chief of staff. he s supposed to be looking at a reorganization plan for next year. hopefully, he s getting a little r and r time. you write the president is probably putting the finishing touches on what some expect to be a new economic adviser and perhaps new positions within the white house, whether robert gibbs stays as press secretary