It has been a few days since we checked in on the pro-democracy freedom movement in the Middle East, so here is an update of the most recent losses and gains and other news in the Arab Spring:
The lead story is Saudia Arabia's claim that it will extend voting rights to women in local elections in 2015:
News of womens' voting rights came as quite a surprise and believe it was King Abdullah playing preemptive CYA, ABC News blogs.
Some say voting rights for women will not really happen, CNN reports.
The Wall Street Journal says it is great that women will be able to vote, but ponders when they will be able to drive. Women drivers continue to be prosecuted.
Clean and open elections are not part of the anti-democracy government's plan in Bahrain, home of the U.S. Navy's 5th Fleet, the Associated Press reports.
Things are getting nasty again in Yemen:
President Ali Abdullah Saleh's return to Yemen, after recovering from burns and other wounds in an assassination attempt on his life three months ago, has re-invigorated his political opponents, enemy tribes and pro-democracy freedom fighters, Reuters reports.
Tribesmen killed one of Saleh's top generals in a bold attack on a government army base, Voice of America reports.
The United States and Gulf Cooperation Council were blindsided by the return of Saleh, whom they had hoped would just retire in Saudi Arabia, The New York Times Reports.
It is as bad as ever in Syria:
Bashir al-Assad's tanks blockade northwestern city Al-Rastan as crackdown continues elsewhere, CNN reports.
Assad's loyalist followers flexed some mischievous brainpower and hacked into as website at Harvard University, the BBC reports.
It might have been payback for anti-Assad hackers who attacked government websites, according to The Washington Times.
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton appeaks to China to join the anti-Assad movement, Agence France Presse reports.
Turkey and the re-emegence of the Ottomans across the Middle East, remains a key to the fall of Assad, The New York Times reports.
The mainstream media has become bored with the Libyan revolution, but it is far from over:
Residents are fleeing the hometown of Moammar Gadhafi amid food and medicine shortages. Meanwhile, the provisional government declares an end to court that was used by the former dictator to prosecute his enemies, the AP reports.
Like Sirte, the revolutionary army presses on in Bani Walid, the BBC reports.
For the latest Afghanistan and Iraq news, please read longtime colleagues Stephanie Gaskell and Rich Sisk at The War Report.
Showing posts with label Saudi Arabia. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Saudi Arabia. Show all posts
Monday, September 26, 2011
Wednesday, June 8, 2011
Yemenis Still Say Saleh Will Return to Sanaa
The Yemeni embassy in Washington insists today that President Ali Abdullah Saleh's health is improving and he will return to power in Sanaa, despite reports he has burns over 40% of his body and a collapsed lung.
"President Ali Abdullah Saleh’s health condition is stable and continues to improve after the deadly attack which targeted Al-Nahdayn Mosque located in the presidential compound," the embassy said in a statement.
"President Saleh will return to Yemen from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to re-assume his duties soon after he recovers," the embassy claimed.
Saleh was taken to a hospital in Saudi Arabia on Saturday for treatment, where he remains today. Initial reports were that he sustained only minor injuries to his neck and face, but then it was disclosed that he also caught shrapnel in his chest.
It turns out Saleh has burns over 40% of his body and a collapsed lung, as well, according to CNN, which cited a U.S. official as its source.
Forensic specialists and Yemeni law enforcement officials are presently combing over the mosque to see if they can determine who was responsible for the apparant assassination attempt on Saleh.
"The Embassy of the Republic of Yemen in Washington, D.C. strongly condemns the cowardly attack on President Saleh and the worshipers in Al-Nahdayn Mosque during last Friday’s prayer. The perpetrators of this bloody attack will be captured and prosecuted accordingly," the statement said.
Meanwhile, there are fears a humanitarian crisis is brewing in Sanaa and other parts of Yemen. People are stockpiling food and water, staying of the streets and sending loved ones away to safer locations in the countryside, according to the International Committee of the Red Cross.
"Sanaa is no longer what it used to be – a lively city crowded with people and vehicles throughout the day, and filled with brightly lit shops open until late at night. There is now a high degree of tension in the streets," said Jean-Nicolas Marti, the head of the ICRC delegation in Yemen.
"People are in a constant state of alert in Sana'a and elsewhere in the country," Marti added. "Blasts and gunshots were being heard every day until recently. Everyone was afraid that their home would be the next to be hit by a stray bullet or by something even more terrifying. Although an unusual calm has descended on the city, the nervousness and tension remain palpable."
"President Ali Abdullah Saleh’s health condition is stable and continues to improve after the deadly attack which targeted Al-Nahdayn Mosque located in the presidential compound," the embassy said in a statement.
"President Saleh will return to Yemen from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to re-assume his duties soon after he recovers," the embassy claimed.
Saleh was taken to a hospital in Saudi Arabia on Saturday for treatment, where he remains today. Initial reports were that he sustained only minor injuries to his neck and face, but then it was disclosed that he also caught shrapnel in his chest.
It turns out Saleh has burns over 40% of his body and a collapsed lung, as well, according to CNN, which cited a U.S. official as its source.
Forensic specialists and Yemeni law enforcement officials are presently combing over the mosque to see if they can determine who was responsible for the apparant assassination attempt on Saleh.
"The Embassy of the Republic of Yemen in Washington, D.C. strongly condemns the cowardly attack on President Saleh and the worshipers in Al-Nahdayn Mosque during last Friday’s prayer. The perpetrators of this bloody attack will be captured and prosecuted accordingly," the statement said.
Meanwhile, there are fears a humanitarian crisis is brewing in Sanaa and other parts of Yemen. People are stockpiling food and water, staying of the streets and sending loved ones away to safer locations in the countryside, according to the International Committee of the Red Cross.
"Sanaa is no longer what it used to be – a lively city crowded with people and vehicles throughout the day, and filled with brightly lit shops open until late at night. There is now a high degree of tension in the streets," said Jean-Nicolas Marti, the head of the ICRC delegation in Yemen.
"People are in a constant state of alert in Sana'a and elsewhere in the country," Marti added. "Blasts and gunshots were being heard every day until recently. Everyone was afraid that their home would be the next to be hit by a stray bullet or by something even more terrifying. Although an unusual calm has descended on the city, the nervousness and tension remain palpable."
Monday, June 6, 2011
Fears That Saleh Will Return to Yemen
Updated at 7:30 p.m. edt
At least 80 British marines are on standby aboard a support ship off the coast of Yemen in case citizens from the United Kingdom have to be evacuated because of escalating violence, according to multiple media reports.
RFA Fort Victoria is already off the Yemeni coast, while another support vessel, RFA Argus, is nearby. The marines are believed to be aboard the Victoria. The RFA Cardigan Bay is also en route, the BBC reported.
end update
---[
Updated at 5 p.m. edt
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said today Yemeni President Abdullah Ali Saleh should not return to power, calling for a transition to democracy and stability in the Arabian country on the brink of civil war.
"Obviously I can't speculate on what President Saleh is going to do or say, but we do want to emphasize we're calling for a peaceful and orderly transition, a nonviolent transition that is consistent with Yemen's own constitution," Clinton said at a joint news conference with French Foreign Minister Alain Juppe.
"And our position has not changed. It continues to remain the same. We think an immediate transition is in the best interests of the Yemeni people because the instability and lack of security currently afflicting Yemen cannot be addressed until there is some process that everyone knows is going to lead to the sort of economic and political reforms that they are seeking," Clinton added.
end update
---[
European leaders urged today a true democratic transition for Yemen, amid concerns that Yemeni President Abdullah Ali Saleh may return to power after he heals from wounds suffered Friday in rocket attacks on his palace in Sanaa.
"We call on the Yemeni people to find the way to reconciliation in a spirit of dialogue and national unity, in particular on the basis of the proposals presented in the framework of the Gulf Cooperation Council’s initiative, which we fully support, in order for the Yemeni people to be able to democratically choose its leader," European leaders said in a statement.
The statement was signed by British Prime Minister David Cameron, French President Nicolas Sarkozy, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi and Spanish Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero.
Saleh fled to Saudi Arabia for surgery after the attack on his palace, leaving Vice President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi in charge. Saleh, 65, reportedly caught shrapnel in the chest during the rocket attacks.
Opposition tribal leaders and pro-democracy activists all cringed when Yemen's Deputy Information Minister Abdu al-Janadi declared Saleh would return to power before he officially steps down permanently. "Saleh is in good health, and he may give up the authority one day but it has to be in a constitutional way," according to media reports.
"I don't know what will happen," a spokesman identified for his protection only as Hamid told Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. "Everyone is waiting for the president to come to Yemen, but no one knows what is going to happen. Everyone is worried about the situation, about what's going to happen now."
More than 370 people have died in Yemen since protests started earlier this year.
At least 80 British marines are on standby aboard a support ship off the coast of Yemen in case citizens from the United Kingdom have to be evacuated because of escalating violence, according to multiple media reports.
RFA Fort Victoria is already off the Yemeni coast, while another support vessel, RFA Argus, is nearby. The marines are believed to be aboard the Victoria. The RFA Cardigan Bay is also en route, the BBC reported.
end update
---[
Updated at 5 p.m. edt
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said today Yemeni President Abdullah Ali Saleh should not return to power, calling for a transition to democracy and stability in the Arabian country on the brink of civil war.
"Obviously I can't speculate on what President Saleh is going to do or say, but we do want to emphasize we're calling for a peaceful and orderly transition, a nonviolent transition that is consistent with Yemen's own constitution," Clinton said at a joint news conference with French Foreign Minister Alain Juppe.
"And our position has not changed. It continues to remain the same. We think an immediate transition is in the best interests of the Yemeni people because the instability and lack of security currently afflicting Yemen cannot be addressed until there is some process that everyone knows is going to lead to the sort of economic and political reforms that they are seeking," Clinton added.
end update
---[
European leaders urged today a true democratic transition for Yemen, amid concerns that Yemeni President Abdullah Ali Saleh may return to power after he heals from wounds suffered Friday in rocket attacks on his palace in Sanaa.
"We call on the Yemeni people to find the way to reconciliation in a spirit of dialogue and national unity, in particular on the basis of the proposals presented in the framework of the Gulf Cooperation Council’s initiative, which we fully support, in order for the Yemeni people to be able to democratically choose its leader," European leaders said in a statement.
The statement was signed by British Prime Minister David Cameron, French President Nicolas Sarkozy, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi and Spanish Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero.
Saleh fled to Saudi Arabia for surgery after the attack on his palace, leaving Vice President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi in charge. Saleh, 65, reportedly caught shrapnel in the chest during the rocket attacks.
Opposition tribal leaders and pro-democracy activists all cringed when Yemen's Deputy Information Minister Abdu al-Janadi declared Saleh would return to power before he officially steps down permanently. "Saleh is in good health, and he may give up the authority one day but it has to be in a constitutional way," according to media reports.
"I don't know what will happen," a spokesman identified for his protection only as Hamid told Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. "Everyone is waiting for the president to come to Yemen, but no one knows what is going to happen. Everyone is worried about the situation, about what's going to happen now."
More than 370 people have died in Yemen since protests started earlier this year.
Saturday, June 4, 2011
Saleh Reportedly Leaves Yemen for Saudi Arabia
Despots are dropping like locusts in the desert. Credit goes to The Arab Spring.
Embattled Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh has left Yemen, reportedly to seek medical treatment for what his aides had claimed were minor injuries sustained in yesterday's rocket attacks on his Presidential palace.
The New York Times says Yemeni officials are denying Saleh has left Yemen, but the Saudis say they now have him.
There are unconfirmed reports Saleh has a piece of shrapnel lodged in his chest not far from his heart.
Saleh's departure is a mixed bag for the U.S. Many American officials were tired of his strong-arm tactics and anti-democratic regime, but he was "our guy" when it came to allowing drones to kill suspected Al Qaeda operatives in Yemen.
His tyranny was apparently no match for the Pan-Arab freedom movement and well-armed tribal leaders who have long opposed him.
Embattled Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh has left Yemen, reportedly to seek medical treatment for what his aides had claimed were minor injuries sustained in yesterday's rocket attacks on his Presidential palace.
The New York Times says Yemeni officials are denying Saleh has left Yemen, but the Saudis say they now have him.
There are unconfirmed reports Saleh has a piece of shrapnel lodged in his chest not far from his heart.
Saleh's departure is a mixed bag for the U.S. Many American officials were tired of his strong-arm tactics and anti-democratic regime, but he was "our guy" when it came to allowing drones to kill suspected Al Qaeda operatives in Yemen.
His tyranny was apparently no match for the Pan-Arab freedom movement and well-armed tribal leaders who have long opposed him.
Thursday, March 24, 2011
Today's MidEast Unrest: The Empires Strike Back
Libya:
Updated 6:20 p.m. est
NATO will take over command of the no-fly zone and Naval arms embargo "in a couple days," NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen announced today.
"NATO has now decided to take over the no-fly zoned over Libya," he said on CNN.
For the time being, separately coalition forces will fly missions aimed at protecting rebels from Moammar Gadhafi's forces, he said.
"We are considering right now whether we should take on that broader responsibility," Rasmussen said.
end update
---[
The Turkish parliament gave the green light today to sending four frigates, a submarine and a support vessel to join a NATO naval operation to enforce a U.N.-sanctioned arms embargo off Libya, a key step toward moving the U.S. closer to handing off command of Operation Odyssey Dawn.
A French fighter jet blasted a Libyan plane on a runway that was in violation of the no-fly zone, the French Foreign Ministry said.
Initially it was reported the French fighter had shot down a Libyan jet today near Miserata, but that report was later clarified.
There is an ear-full of chatter coming from military analysts over whether it will take ground forces to help the rebels defeat Moammar Gadhafi.
Richard Engel on MSNBC last night told Rachel Maddow he has spoken to Libyan rebels who told him they are "looking actively to hire mercenaries" to fight and help coordinate with the coalition. The rebels are also open to having special operation teams on the ground to coordinate air attacks, Engel reported.
NBC's chief foreign correspondent also said out loud what a lot of military strategists have been thinking, but so far has not been hinted at around the Pentagon: Apaches and A-10 tank killers are best suited to do the job if Gadhafi's forces remain in the cities like Misurata. That scenario raises the risks facing U.S. forces, and there is an election next year. At first glance, close-in air support is a long shot, at best.
The Washington Post takes a look deep inside how a languishing ferry loaded with Americans (and other factors) contributed to the timing of the Obama administration's move to freeze Gadhafi's assets.
Turning to domestic politics, GOP House Speaker John Boehner wrote Obama to complain about being kept in the dark about Libya and a mixed message from the administration.
"We obviously take very seriously... the need for congressional consultations. And we have done them and will continue to do them," said White House spokesman Jay Carney. I would also say that it’s important to remember that in the run-up to this action, we were criticized somewhat -- in fact, fairly frequently -- by those who felt like we weren’t moving quickly enough, and now some are criticizing us for going too quickly, and what the President did was make an action based on an imminent threat of a humanitarian nature to a great number of Libyans, and he has done that with a great number of consultations with Congress that will continue. But I think it’s important to remember where we were a week ago and where we are now."
The White House has been walking a tightrope, but nonetheless has been pushing back (in some cases loudly) at reports or comments that it circumvented congressional action when it jumped into the fray in Libya. The genocide that went unchecked in Rwanda (then-President Clinton later apologized for his inaction) played a big role in Obama's change of heart, USA Today's David Jackson blogs.
So far the Obama administration and its allies have tried to brush off those complaints as political not constitutional, and even a few conservative sources proudly but privately acknowledge the U.S. military appears to be getting the job done in Libya as of now.
They know at the White House they dodged a bullet with the successful rescue of the American pilots whose plane crashed in the desert.
"We were very lucky that we didn't have another Mogadishu," an Army source admitted.
The New York Times Nick Kristof's "Hugs From Libyans," his column arguing that the military intervention is historic and essential.
Yemen:
With legislature wired from the start, supporters approved President Ali Abdullah Saleh’s request for a 30-day state of emergency. The embattled tyrant, who has worked with the U.S. in targeting Al Qaeda terrorists, is barely clinging to power and his government fractures.
Yemen's leader says he accepts transition plan by the end of 2011, CNN says.
A thorough and thoughtful photo montage of the Yemenis revolution from Foreign Policy magazine.
Syria:
At least 20,000 mourners and protesters took to Syrian streets today protest the wave of killings of civilians by Syrian security forces.
A day after hundreds of people marched against the government for a fifth consecutive day, Syrian forces killed at least seven protesters in a mosque in Daraa, bringing to 13 the number of demonstrators killed in recent days.
Some counts put the death toll yesterday at 14 Syrian protesters killed.
In an editorial, The Washingtom Post leaves little doubt where it stands: Syria is the next front.
Bahrain:
What diplomacy? MSNBC asks in analysis of Bahrain protests and policies.
Gulf Air and Bahrain Air cancelled all flights in and out of Beirut’s Rafik Hariri International Airport amid the unrest in Bahrain.
"While US and international attention is focused largely elsewhere in the region, especially Libya, the violent crackdown against protestors in the tiny island kingdom of Bahrain may well pose a bigger threat to the entire region's stability," Middle East scholar Salman Shaikh posted on Foreign Policy magazine's blog. "Urgent action is therefore needed to de-escalate the situation in Bahrain and create the trust necessary for the government and opposition to start a much delayed national dialogue that charts the future of the country."
Time reports on its blog "thugs hired by Bahrain's government, posing in civilian clothing at checkpoints around the capital" are "increasingly targeting the country's medical personnel, who have been treating injured protesters since the first day the Shi'ite uprising against Sunni King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa turned violent."
Israel:
A day after a British woman was killed in a bus bomb blast in Jerusalem, the Israelis attacked targets in retaliatory strikes in Gaza today, and Hamas responded with rocket and mortar fire into Israel, Haaretz reports.
AIPAC apologizes for using bombing to raise money. The pro-Israel groups quickly jumped all over the tragedy yesterday, as it was reported here.
Saudi Arabia:
The Wall Street Journal reports Saudis raise pay and plan polls, but their woes linger in the kingdom.
Updated 6:20 p.m. est
NATO will take over command of the no-fly zone and Naval arms embargo "in a couple days," NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen announced today.
"NATO has now decided to take over the no-fly zoned over Libya," he said on CNN.
For the time being, separately coalition forces will fly missions aimed at protecting rebels from Moammar Gadhafi's forces, he said.
"We are considering right now whether we should take on that broader responsibility," Rasmussen said.
end update
---[
The Turkish parliament gave the green light today to sending four frigates, a submarine and a support vessel to join a NATO naval operation to enforce a U.N.-sanctioned arms embargo off Libya, a key step toward moving the U.S. closer to handing off command of Operation Odyssey Dawn.
A French fighter jet blasted a Libyan plane on a runway that was in violation of the no-fly zone, the French Foreign Ministry said.
Initially it was reported the French fighter had shot down a Libyan jet today near Miserata, but that report was later clarified.
There is an ear-full of chatter coming from military analysts over whether it will take ground forces to help the rebels defeat Moammar Gadhafi.
Richard Engel on MSNBC last night told Rachel Maddow he has spoken to Libyan rebels who told him they are "looking actively to hire mercenaries" to fight and help coordinate with the coalition. The rebels are also open to having special operation teams on the ground to coordinate air attacks, Engel reported.
NBC's chief foreign correspondent also said out loud what a lot of military strategists have been thinking, but so far has not been hinted at around the Pentagon: Apaches and A-10 tank killers are best suited to do the job if Gadhafi's forces remain in the cities like Misurata. That scenario raises the risks facing U.S. forces, and there is an election next year. At first glance, close-in air support is a long shot, at best.
The Washington Post takes a look deep inside how a languishing ferry loaded with Americans (and other factors) contributed to the timing of the Obama administration's move to freeze Gadhafi's assets.
Turning to domestic politics, GOP House Speaker John Boehner wrote Obama to complain about being kept in the dark about Libya and a mixed message from the administration.
"We obviously take very seriously... the need for congressional consultations. And we have done them and will continue to do them," said White House spokesman Jay Carney. I would also say that it’s important to remember that in the run-up to this action, we were criticized somewhat -- in fact, fairly frequently -- by those who felt like we weren’t moving quickly enough, and now some are criticizing us for going too quickly, and what the President did was make an action based on an imminent threat of a humanitarian nature to a great number of Libyans, and he has done that with a great number of consultations with Congress that will continue. But I think it’s important to remember where we were a week ago and where we are now."
The White House has been walking a tightrope, but nonetheless has been pushing back (in some cases loudly) at reports or comments that it circumvented congressional action when it jumped into the fray in Libya. The genocide that went unchecked in Rwanda (then-President Clinton later apologized for his inaction) played a big role in Obama's change of heart, USA Today's David Jackson blogs.
So far the Obama administration and its allies have tried to brush off those complaints as political not constitutional, and even a few conservative sources proudly but privately acknowledge the U.S. military appears to be getting the job done in Libya as of now.
They know at the White House they dodged a bullet with the successful rescue of the American pilots whose plane crashed in the desert.
"We were very lucky that we didn't have another Mogadishu," an Army source admitted.
The New York Times Nick Kristof's "Hugs From Libyans," his column arguing that the military intervention is historic and essential.
Yemen:
With legislature wired from the start, supporters approved President Ali Abdullah Saleh’s request for a 30-day state of emergency. The embattled tyrant, who has worked with the U.S. in targeting Al Qaeda terrorists, is barely clinging to power and his government fractures.
Yemen's leader says he accepts transition plan by the end of 2011, CNN says.
A thorough and thoughtful photo montage of the Yemenis revolution from Foreign Policy magazine.
Syria:
At least 20,000 mourners and protesters took to Syrian streets today protest the wave of killings of civilians by Syrian security forces.
A day after hundreds of people marched against the government for a fifth consecutive day, Syrian forces killed at least seven protesters in a mosque in Daraa, bringing to 13 the number of demonstrators killed in recent days.
Some counts put the death toll yesterday at 14 Syrian protesters killed.
In an editorial, The Washingtom Post leaves little doubt where it stands: Syria is the next front.
Bahrain:
What diplomacy? MSNBC asks in analysis of Bahrain protests and policies.
Gulf Air and Bahrain Air cancelled all flights in and out of Beirut’s Rafik Hariri International Airport amid the unrest in Bahrain.
"While US and international attention is focused largely elsewhere in the region, especially Libya, the violent crackdown against protestors in the tiny island kingdom of Bahrain may well pose a bigger threat to the entire region's stability," Middle East scholar Salman Shaikh posted on Foreign Policy magazine's blog. "Urgent action is therefore needed to de-escalate the situation in Bahrain and create the trust necessary for the government and opposition to start a much delayed national dialogue that charts the future of the country."
Time reports on its blog "thugs hired by Bahrain's government, posing in civilian clothing at checkpoints around the capital" are "increasingly targeting the country's medical personnel, who have been treating injured protesters since the first day the Shi'ite uprising against Sunni King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa turned violent."
Israel:
A day after a British woman was killed in a bus bomb blast in Jerusalem, the Israelis attacked targets in retaliatory strikes in Gaza today, and Hamas responded with rocket and mortar fire into Israel, Haaretz reports.
AIPAC apologizes for using bombing to raise money. The pro-Israel groups quickly jumped all over the tragedy yesterday, as it was reported here.
Saudi Arabia:
The Wall Street Journal reports Saudis raise pay and plan polls, but their woes linger in the kingdom.
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