Yemen's President Ali Abdallah Salih is, after Libya's Moammar Gaddafi, the longest-ruling leader in the Arab world. Since the October suicide bombing attack on the USS Cole in the Yemeni port at Aden, which caused the death of 17 U.S. sailors and injured 39 other crew members, Salih, 58, has been engaged a delicate balancing act. He has sought to cooperate with American investigators without jeopardizing his standing at home among Islamists and others who don't look kindly on the United States.

Salih: In the beginning, it was not clear whether the explosion took place inside or outside the ship. Quickly, we found a boat carrying explosives that was used to attack the ship. The boat was lowered by a crane from a car into the sea. Within three days our security men discovered where the suicide bombers bought the car. One of the men who registered the boat recognized the car. The boat was brought from Jizan in Saudi Arabia and driven to the west of Yemen. Then they moved it to Aden. They made a test, but the boat sank with explosives.

I didn't say Israel did it, we didn't confine it to Israel. We criticize Israel because it's not serious toward the peace process. Most of the Arabs try to please or flatter Israel but here in Yemen, we do not flatter Israel. Based on the fact that Israel is not committed to the efforts exerted by President [Bill Clinton] and is not complying with the U.N. resolutions, we believe Israel might be involved in such incidents.