Yemen's Best President Was Shot the Night Before History

[00:00:00]Yemen's best chance at unity died the night before it could begin. It's 1977, Sana, North Yemen. A military president has spent 3 years quietly reshaping his country. Ibrahim al-Hamdi built roads and schools where none existed. He slashed illiteracy rates. He pushed Saudi Arabia's money and influence [music] out of his government. He ran a poor country with rare discipline and vision. And for a time, it seemed like something bigger was possible. He had arranged a historic [music] meeting with South Yemen's president. One flight to Aden, one handshake, and the two Yemens might finally become one. Saudi Arabia had watched all of this with growing fear. A unified, independent Yemen on their southern border was the one outcome they could not allow. On the night of October 11th, hours before his flight, gunmen entered his home. They shot him dead. They shot his brother dead beside him. The bags were already packed. The man who nearly unified Yemen was Ibrahim al-Hamdi.