In the end, we felt there was enough good to be gained that it was worth managing the criticism that we’d get, including any comparisons to past episodes.A U.S. official • Speaking about the decision to let Yemeni leader Ali Abdullah Saleh into the U.S. for medical reasons — which runs counter to what Saleh himself said a couple of days ago. The Yemeni leader claimed over the weekend that he would head to the U.S. just to get away from the region to let electoral officials do their work, but considering the fact that Saleh got burned so severely in his assassination attempt, the alternate story is by no means a surprise. By the way, when the official refers to “past episodes,” he means a 1979 episode where Jimmy Carter let an ailing Iranian shah into the U.S. — which angered officials in Iran. Already, similar concerns are coming up amongst Yemeni activists who worry the U.S. may give Saleh a safe harbor. source (via • follow)
I will go to the United States. Not for treatment, because I’m fine, but to get away from attention, cameras, and allow the unity government to prepare properly for elections. I’ll be there for several days, but I’ll return because I won’t leave my people and comrades who have been steadfast for 11 months. I’ll withdraw from political work and go into the street as part of the opposition.Yemeni leader Ali Abdullah Saleh • Discussing his plans to leave Yemen soon, in an effort to give the government space so they can start the electoral process. This appears to be a major concession on the part of Saleh, as he’s gotten in the way of transition efforts in the past — especially prior to an assassination attempt earlier this year. Being halfway around the world, playing tourist in the U.S. (he’d get a kick out of Disney World), will probably go a long way towards encouraging peaceful elections in the country. source (via • follow)
So long, Saleh: As we mentioned last night, reports had been swirling that Ali Abdullah Saleh, the embattled (and battling, judging from the violence his government wrought against citizen protests) leader of Yemen, had arrived in Saudi Arabia to strike an agreement with the opposition to end his rule. Today, the New York Times has reported that exactly that took place: Saleh signed on to an end to his 33-year tenure, but he will officially retain the title of “President” until new elections are held three months from now. Whether this is truly the end of Saleh’s influence in Yemeni politics is unclear, however — his family still holds many powerful positions in Yemen’s military and intelligence agencies. source
Will Yemen’s Ali Abdullah Saleh sign a deal for his exit? He’s supposedly going to sign the GCC-backed plan very soon, but he’s known for backing out of agreements, so excuse us for possibly being cynical. He’s also known, however, for getting significant burns all over his body, so that might play a factor in what he’ll do.
This video really needs Eminem’s “Without Me” as its soundtrack. Three months after an assassination attempt that nearly took his life and left much of his body burned, Yemeni president Ali Abdullah Saleh is back in Sanaa, looking pretty good for a guy who had 40 percent of his body burned. Saleh returns to Yemen at a time of increased tension in the country —including violence that’s killed over 100 in the past week alone. source
Qaddafi with Mubarak and Ben Ali, One Year Ago
Taken less than a year before, the photo captured the ear-to-ear smiles of the leaders of several autocratic regimes. At the center of the photo stood Gaddafi, smiling and resplendent in his golden-brown robes and trademark sunglasses.
To his far left stood then-Tunisian President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali, laughing, and looking for all the world like he was invincible. To his right stood then-Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak, with Gaddafi’s elbow jauntily on his soldier.
Via us.
Saleh’s in there too! It’s like the genesis of the Arab Spring, in a single room.
President Ali Abdullah Saleh showed up on Yemeni television in a prerecorded speech about his health. He was wounded and severely burned in a bomb blast at his palace earlier this month, and has gone through 8 surgeries since then. He’s making the speech to ensure the people of Yemen that he is recovering, but it’s unclear how true that is — he hasn’t been seen in public since the incident last month. (Photo via Aljazeera) source
He will appear within the next 48 hours despite our fear that the burns on his features and on different parts of his body will be an obstacle given that his appearance will not be as the media expects it.Ali Abdullah Saleh’s media secretary, Ahmed al-Sufi • Suggesting that Saleh will return to Yemen soon after spending weeks recovering in Saudi Arabia after his palace suffered a raid earlier this month. He suffered severe burns, but they cover less than 40 percent of his body … you know, not that much. As you might guess, hundreds of thousands of protesters aren’t taking this news well at all — they’re pushing for members of Saleh’s inner circle, including his sons, to leave the country. source (via • follow)
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Rebels in Yemen do not welcome this news. A few weeks ago, Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh was badly injured and burned in an attack on his palace, forcing him to receive medical treatment in nearby Saudi Arabia — a situation which led to an interim leader and celebrations in the streets. But the celebrations might have been a little premature if there’s any truth to reports that Saleh will return to the country soon, having recovered significantly from his injuries. “He will return home after medical reports said he is getting better,” ruling party official Yasser al-Yamani explained. Protesters rallied in the wake of the news; as you might guess, they’re not ready to welcome him back. source
On Friday, American jets killed Abu Ali al-Harithi, a midlevel Qaeda operative, and several other militant suspects in a strike in southern Yemen. According to witnesses, four civilians were also killed in the airstrike. Weeks earlier, drone aircraft fired missiles aimed at Anwar al-Awlaki, the radical American-born cleric who the United States government has tried to kill for more than a year. Mr. Awlaki survived.
They’re nailing key members of al-Qaeda. This is pretty interesting, guys. They had taken a break from these missions for a bit (after a couple of them failed pretty miserably), but with Saleh out and Bin Laden dead, it appears they’re taking another stab at it.
His face was quite charred. The burns are serious; he is not as well as his aides are portraying it.A western official, speaking under condition of anonymity • Describing the condition of Yemeni president Ali Abdullah Saleh, who took a leave of office last week to receive medical care in Saudi Arabia after an attack on his presidential palace. Saleh could still return to power at some point (whether people in Yemen want him to is another story), but based on his current condition, recovery could take a few months. Another possible injury — on top of the burns and the wooden shrapnel that hit close to his heart — might be a punctured lung, which some sources have reported was a side effect of the shrapnel. source (via • follow)
We would be shortsighted to think this doesn’t pose short-term national security concerns. The likelihood is that [al-Qaeda operatives] will be raising their heads.Frank J. Cilluffo, the head of, George Washington University’s Homeland Security Policy Institute • Describing the danger that the Saleh’s transition away from Yemeni leadership means for the War on Terror. A key terror cell — al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula — could cause serious issues by taking advantage of the instability in the region, while Yemeni opposition leaders deny the group’s existence at all. (Which is troubling because two separate attacks have been tied to the group since late 2009 — including the underwear bomber.) Another way this could force the U.S. into a precarious position: Saleh was an ally of the U.S., and an unstable transition could force diplomats to scramble to make up for a transition that doesn’t favor Americans. A complicated issue all around — and one with difficult answers. source (via • follow)
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