Yemen erupted in celebration today over the news that long-time dictator Ali Abdullah Saleh had fled to Saudi Arabia for medical treatment. Saleh’s compound was attacked on Friday, and despite claims he only sustained “minor” injuries he needed surgery.
For protesters this was the culmination of months of rallies demanding Saleh’s ouster and free elections. In the interim Major General Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi would be serving as president, but it seemed a big victory.
But the Saleh government certainly doesn’t see things that way, and despite rushing Saleh to Saudi Arabia for surgery, they still see him as the head of state on little more than an unplanned vacation.
The protesters clearly don’t want him back, and are promising to do everything they can to prevent his return. Still, the apparent ouster of Saleh isn’t nearly so straightforward as it seems on the surface, and it is unclear if the situation will be resolved in any obvious manner soon.
Let's see…the USG would really love to see this problem go away…any guesses on who might be responsible if Saleh, while getting his "treatment", succumbed to his undisclosed injuries while in the hands of the Saudis…money transferred…problem solved…except who replaces him – And you just know that the USG is going to be hip-deep in that internal issue. They will never learn.
Ain't funny how all the roads in the Middle East lead to two places: Saudi Arabia and Israel? No doubt the imperial masters have summoned him. May Allah take pity on the souls of the poor Yemenis.