Ally or not, U.S Gives Saleh His Walking Papers

Yemen's ailing President Ali Abdullah Saleh, a key ally in the war on terror, is being urged by the U.S. to stay in Saudi Arabia and hand over power to a new government, as the Gulf Cooperation Council has urged.

President Obama's counterterrorism adviser John Brennan visited with Saleh at a Saudi military hospital over the weekend, advising him to sign a deal transferring power. Brennan handed Saleh a letter from Obama that indicated the U.S. leader's support for the Arab Spring freedom movement that has swept out several longtime Arab dictators.

Saleh and Libyan strongman Moammar Gadhafi are the next despots in line to get the boot.

"During the meeting, Mr. Brennan called upon President Saleh to fulfil expeditiously his pledge to sign the GCC-brokered agreement for peaceful and constitutional political transition in Yemen," a White House the statement said.

"The United States believes that a transition in Yemen should begin immediately so that the Yemeni people can realise their aspirations," thee statement added.

Saleh is recovering from bad burns and other injuries sustained during aJune 3 assassination attempt on his presidential compound in Sanaa, Yemen. In power in Yemen since 1978, Saleh has long allowed U.S. killer drones to fly over his airspace to target suspected members and accomplices of Al Qaeda in the Arab Peninsula.

U.S. counterterrorism officials have been sweating out the demise of Saleh, preferring to look the other way while the unpopular despot tightens his grip on his own people in order to keep him power. But the so-called terror-hunters appear to be on the losing end of that argument.

Drone Strikes Aim at Awlaki; Clinton Says Saleh Broke Promises

The uptick in the CIA's drone war in Yemen shows there is no disguising U.S. concerns over losing the chief Yemeni ally in the war against Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula.

U.S. drones and Yemeni military are "taking advatage of the power vacuum" created by the departure of President Ali Abdullah Saleh to keep American-born Al Qaida cleric Anwar al-Awlaki from solidifying his move to gain control of AQAP, a career counter-terrorism official explained.

The mission's objective is to eliminate Awlaki. The CIA had targeted him since shortly after Osama bin Laden was killed in the daring raid on his compound in Pakistan.

Yemeni military are also engaged in hunting Awlaki and other AQAP operatives, but sources say there are still concerns that the U.S. could lose "assets" and access in Yemen without Saleh, who is being treated in Saudi Arabia for serious wounds in the assassination attempt on him last Friday.

Concerns over whether the predator drones will be given permission to fly over Yemen in the future have not kept the U.S. from calling for Saleh to give up power so free elections can be held. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said today Saleh has failed to keep his part of the bargain to allow the election to go forward.

"On several opportunities, President Saleh did not go forward with what we thought had been agreed to," Clinton said in Abu Dhabi at meetings on the future of Libya, another country like Yemen where The Arab Spring freedom movement has taken root.

"We don’t think that the instability can be fully addressed until those changes commence. And so we’re going to continue to consult closely with our friends in the region to determine the best way forward," Clinton said.

"I can’t speculate on what President Ali Abdullah Saleh will decide to do. That’s obviously up to him. But Yemen has a strong constitution, and we believe if their constitution were actually implemented, Yemen would be moving in the right direction," Clinton added.

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."

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.

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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.

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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.

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.

Yemeni Rebels Attack Palace in Sanaa

Updated at 1:30 p.m. edt

Yemeni President Ali Abdulah Saleh was supposed to deliver an address assuring his people he was fine after a rebel attack today on his palace in Sanaa, but a government official tells MSNBC he is being treated for a wound to the neck.

At least four people, including top officials and body guards, were killed and others were severely wounded, NBC's chief foreign Correspondent Richard Engel reports at this hour.

The White House was monitoring the situation, but had no immediate information to shed light on Saleh's condition. A spokesman for President Obama urged Saleh to accept a deal in which he would step down.

"I can tell you that we’ve seen those conflicting reports about what happened there.  The President was briefed on this issue this morning," said White House spokesman Josh Ernest.

"I don’t have anything beyond what we’ve said before, which is that obviously condemn the violence on both sides, that we hope that there will be and that there should be a negotiated settlement in Yemen, and that we believe that President Saleh should sign the agreement transferring power," Earnest added.

Former State Department spokesman P.J. Crowley suggested on Twitter that Saleh has brought on his own demise. "President Saleh has chosen to literally fight reform rather than respect it. It's a losing battle for Saleh, and tragic for Yemen," Crowley Tweeted.

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There are reports Yemeni President Ali Abdulah Saleh was hurt today when his palace in Sanaa was shelled by rebels.

Others were also hurt in the attack, the BBC reports.

There are conflicting reports at this time about Saleh's condition.

Saleh has been an ally on the fight against Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, allowing U.S. drones to target suspected terrorists.

Protesters Reject Deal Granting Yemeni Saleh Immunity

The young leaders of the pro-democracy protests in Yemen are rejecting a deal that would allow President Ali Abdullah Saleh to resign within a month with immunity from prosecution.

The demonstrators, who faced armed security forces today, want Saleh to step down immediately and they want him and his top aides to face charges after decades of brutal control by the regime.

Dozens of protesters reportedly were injured today when police opened fire with live rounds of ammunition and tear gas in five provinces in Yemen.

Protests & Pressure Finally Give Yemeni Dictator The Boot

Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh is expected to submit his resignation within 30 days, apparently destined to become the third Arab despot to abdicate during the Pan-Arab freedom and democracy movement, joining the leaders of Egypt and Tunisia.

In three decades of rule, Saleh is accused of ordering the executions of some of his critics, imprisoning others without trial and rigging elections.

Saleh has been a two-faced friend of the United States over the years (he supported Saddam Hussein's invasion of Kuwait, for example), but more recently he became a darling of the post-9/11 terror-hunter cottage industry because he allowed U.S. drones to unleash hellfire missiles on suspected Al Qaeda leaders.

However, many of his fans, who were willing to look the other way and ignore Saleh's dismal human rights record, never took into consideration that his strong-arm tactics contributed to the growth of Al Qaeda in the Arab Peninsula. All that has changed amid months of pro-democracy demonstrations by angry Yemenis. The United States welcomed his peaceful exit.

"The United States supports a peaceful transfer of power in Yemen that is responsive to the aspirations of the Yemeni people. We applaud the announcements by the Yemeni Government and the opposition that they have accepted the GCC-brokered agreement to resolve the political crisis in a peaceful and orderly manner," the White House said in a statement.

"We encourage all parties to move swiftly to implement the terms of the agreement so that the Yemeni people can soon realize the security, unity, and prosperity that they have so courageously sought and so richly deserve," the White House added.

The Gulf Cooperation Council brokered the deal yesterday, which, along with Salah's resignation, also calls for a presidential election to be held within two months. The deal would grant Saleh immunity in exchange for stepping down.