A little background on Yemen

[IndianaGreen]

Dictator of the Month: January 2006

Politics

Saleh has been accused for much nepotism in his regime, appointing personal friends and family members to important roles in the government. His leadership style is described as autocratic, and some have labeled him a tyrant and there is much opposition to his government in what was South Yemen, yet he does still enjoy widespread popularity in the North. He is extremely repressive of his opposition, and tightly controls the media in the country.

Criminal Activity in the Government?

Saleh has been sharply accused of allowing and/ or fostering numerous criminal activities, including the smuggling of drugs to Saudi Arabia, trafficking of arms into various countries in Eastern Europe. In fact, during Saleh’s regime a large scale militarisation has occurred, with the defense budget tripling between 1998 and 2003, despite that the country is the poorest Arab country in the world. Weapon sales from Yemen have been traced to al Qaeda, various other terrorist groups, as well as countries like Somalia, contrary to UN arms embargoes. It is alleged that the Yemeni government is aware of widespread support of al Qaeda members in top levels of the government, but does nothing against it. There are also reports of the Yemeni military using poison gas on rebel groups on more than one occasion.

The Under Secretary in the Finance Ministry of the government, Abduljabar Saad, who resigned in the Summer of 2005, cited widespread corruption in the Finance Ministry in his resignation letter, and noted that large amounts of publicly subsidized diesel is being illegally smuggled to other countries- other sources specify diesel smuggling to Africa.

The Yemeni Central Bank has also been caught circulating counterfeit Yemeni and Saudi currency, and other government agencies have been accused of money laundering via real estate transactions in Dubai, ultimately funneling the money into German bank accounts. The Central Bank has also been used by high ranking officials to move assets offshore.

http://www.dictatorofthemonth.com/Saleh/Jan2006SalehEN.htm

The supreme irony is how the US flipped Saleh in his support for Al-Qaeda:

December 31, 2009

US Believes al Qaeda Supporting Lunatic Yemeni Dictator "Turned Around"

US officials say Yemeni President Saleh saw the light in July when presented with evidence the Al Qaeda fanatics were planning assassinations against top officials. Do we really have to do this over and over and over again? The US dream of a reformed Saleh has been alive since 2000, but President Saleh has never been sincere. He just comes up with better BS, more interesting theater and catch phrases that seem reassuringly familiar. To go forward on the premise that Saleh achieved any level of rehabilitation after a good talking to is ludicrous.

It's a mistake to trust President Ali Abdullah Saleh on any level, at any time. It is a threat to US security to under-estimate the level of enmeshment between the Yemeni state and al Qaeda- from al Qaeda local to al Qaeda central, from low level security officials up to the President of Yemen.

http://mypetjawa.mu.nu/archives/200219.php

[G_j]

1. +100

thank you

[Armstead]

2. Sounds like that old Cold War jusrification

"He's a bastard but he's our bastard."

[Oregone]

3. Yemen terrorists are Evil, and you cannot negotiate with evil.

You can only bomb it, like Nazi evil. Through bombs, not flowers, we will send terrorist evil to the depths we sent nazi evil to

[IndianaGreen]

4. 'We have met the enemy... and he is us'

[StarfarerBill]

6. +1

[IndianaGreen]

5. Welcome to the Afghanistan of Arabia.

Published on Sunday, January 3, 2010 by the Toronto Sun

U.S. Kicks Hornet's Nest in Yemen

Failed attack on Detroit-bound plane was retaliation for American military ops in the Arabian country, sources say

by Eric Margolis

Dirt poor Yemen has three civil wars going on and bitter fighting between Sunni and various Shia sects. Yemen's warlike tribes hate any outside authority, starting with their own government.

Recently, the Saudis, backed by U.S. air power, CIA and special forces, intervened against Shia Houthi tribesmen along Yemen's undemarcated northern desert border.

Just before the Detroit air incident, U.S. warplanes killed 50-100 Yemeni tribesmen fighting the American-backed regime. U.S. special forces, warplanes and killer drones have been active since 2001, assassinating Yemeni militants and anti-government tribal leaders. It was only a matter of time before Yemeni jihadists struck back at the U.S.

Even Washington now admits that Yemen is the new hotbed of anti-western jihadist activity. Meanwhile, U.S. and NATO forces are supposedly in Afghanistan to fight al-Qaida -- which long ago decamped to Pakistan and Yemen.

The U.S. is being drawn into turbulent Yemen just as it is also expanding military operations across the Red Sea in Somalia and southern Kenya.

Britain, Iran, Saudi Arabia and Egypt are also getting involved in Yemen.

Another hornet's nest kicked. Expect more nasty stings.

http://www.commondreams.org/view/2010/01/03-3

[JCMach1]

7. Yemen is in a 3-sided civil war Al Saleh vs. Houthis vs. the South

The U.S. has sided with the dictator, Al Saleh, largely because he is the Saudi's boy in this fight.

Al Quaeda in the Arabian Peninsula had mostly concerned itself with resistance to the Saudi regime until quite recently. It seems as if we may well have manufactured a new enemy in the last few months as the U.S. seems to have become the Saudi's bitches when it comes to making foreign policy in Arabia.

Obama is completely screwing this up with his support of the KSA's position and his support for Al Saleh and his repressive regime.

Here is what our own State Department has to say about the human rights record (I have posted this before, but I think everyone needs to see it). This is not some 'liberal' group, this is our own State Department!


...Significant human rights problems persisted. There were limitations on citizens' ability to change their government due to corruption, fraudulent voter registration, and administrative weakness. There were reports of arbitrary and unlawful killings by government forces, politically motivated disappearances, and torture in many prisons. Prolonged pretrial detention, judicial weakness and fiat, serious corruption, and poor prison conditions were also problems. During the year excessive government force was reportedly used against participants in public demonstrations. Arbitrary arrest and detention and other abuses increased, particularly of individuals with suspected links to the Zaydi Shia al-Houthi movement in and around the northern governorate of Saada and to the series of political demonstrations in Lahj governorate in the southern part of the country. International humanitarian groups estimated that in the summer there were as many as 75,000 internally displaced persons (IDPs) as a result of the Saada conflict. By the end of the year, about 6,000 persons were living in refugee camps in Saada. Academic freedom was restricted.Restrictions on freedom of speech, the press, and peaceful assembly increased, and harassment and intimidation of journalists and oppositionists continued. Pervasive and significant discrimination against women continued to occur, as did child labor and child trafficking. The right of workers to associate was also restricted.

RESPECT FOR HUMAN RIGHTS

Section 1 Respect for the Integrity of the Person, Including Freedom From:

a. Arbitrary or Unlawful Deprivation of Life

There were reports that the government committed arbitrary or unlawful killings during the year. Unlike in the previous year, politically motivated killings by the government or its agents occurred during the year. Security forces reportedly killed or injured suspects during apprehensions and public demonstrations in actions that appear to have been politically motivated...http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/hrrpt/2008/nea/119130.htm

Of course, the list goes on.

How we can offer Al Saleh anything but a kick in the a$$ is beyond me!

Even worse from a security perspective, we are picking the losing horse in this race. Al Saleh is going down. Everyone know it. The only question is 'how soon'?

[G_j]

9. a corrupt dictatorship in a failed state

sounds about right

[RepublicanElephant]

8. the military-industrial-complex must be kept well-fed.

on today's menu are selected yemeni delicacies (anyone who opposes saleh).