June 5, 2011

Saudi TV: Saleh To Return To Yemen


"Saleh will come back. Saleh is in good health, and he may give up the authority one day but it has to be in a constitutional way. Calm has returned. Coups have failed. ... We are not in Libya, and Saleh is not calling for civil war."

- Abdul Al Janadi, Yemen's deputy information minister

"The Yemeni people will do all in their power to not allow Saleh to re-enter the country. We will work with all our strength to prevent his return. We see this as the beginning of the end of this tyrannical and corrupt regime."

- Mohammed Qahtan, spokesman for the oppositional Joint Meeting Parties (JMP)
Although Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh's health is reportedly worse than expected, his aides haven't given up on a return to Sana'a. Tareq Shami, spokesman for the ruling General People's Congress (GPC) insisted, "He will continue leading the country as he has been with no changes." And while Washington continues to urge him to take a favorable immunity offer through the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), his son and nephews continue to operate in the capital.

On Monday government snipers opened fire on Sadiq al-Ahmar’s militia despite a Saudi-brokered ceasefire.

Disinformation still reigns for now. U.S., European, and Gulf media alike have interpreted Saudi Arabia as the lead story in Yemen’s revolution. Minimized in their reporting despite being the revolution’s driver, Yemen’s pro-democracy movement is already working to preempt U.S.-Saudi interference with a transitional council.

Updated analysis coming soon.

1 comment:

  1. The BBC is reporting today that he suffered 40% burns among other injuries. There is no way back for Saleh. Good riddance to another satrap.

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