Though some scholars maintain that the Garden of Eden was in Aden, the country today seems more like purgatory than paradise. A British protectorate since 1839, Aden is a sun-scorched moonscape of thrusting volcanic mountains and rock-strewn wadies. Temperatures commonly rise to 110, and survival rations for British combat troops there include at least two gallons of water daily—for drinking, not washing. Aden is a tempting prize nonetheless. In a determined attempt to defend it from guerrilla bands sweeping across from Yemen, Britain last week airlifted hundreds of seasoned troops there.
Britain's last, vital bastion in the Middle East, Aden is...
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