Is inking the Gulf Coordination Council Initiative a positive step?

Disclaimer: this article doesn't represent the view of the Yemeni Youth rather it's just my personal view and analysis of the Gulf Coordination Council Initiative, knowing as the GCC deal.

We have been campaigning in the social media (Twitter, Facebook, etc.) against the signing of the GCC deal using hash tag #No2GCCdeal and also promoting it using Facebook  page. Now that the GCC deal has been signed by Saleh, Ruling Party and the Opposition, we need to move beyond that. Instead of criticizing the deal, looking at it as a positive step towards moving the country forward. The Youth have legit demands but let us keep in mind, some demands will take months and maybe years to be met. So, let's take things one-step at a time.

Now, you're probably thinking, what's wrong with this dude? Did he turn against the Youth? Of course not! but let's take a look at our options and think with our brains not our emotions!

How many possible options we had? Only two options...

Option 1 - Peaceful Transition of Power According to the GCC deal

In my opinion, this is the safest option even though it only meets the bare minimum of the Youth demands. The Youth have many legit demands such as prosecuting Saleh and everyone who committed crimes against the Yemeni people. In theory, that's great! But in reality, it's almost impossible peacefully. Look at what has happened in Iraq in the past ten years or so as a result of prosecuting Saddam's regime officials. Also, looking back at what happened in Libya, after the NATO got involved and even after Gaddafi killed thousands of people, the International Community attempted many times to negotiate an exit deal for Gaddafi but he refused. That's why I said let us think with our brains not with our emotions. A reconciliation is the best way to go!

Option 2 - Use of Force 

My prediction is that if we turn to military option as a solution, buckle up! Because we'll be taking long bumpy ride to the unknown!

If Saleh said one thing wise, it's "Yemen isn't Tunisia, Egypt or Libya" and I second that.Zooming in little closer at this option, if war breaks out,my guess it'll be led by General Ali Mohsen Al-Ahmar and Shaikh Sadiq Al-Ahmar tribe will be also get involved if not more tribes will jump in. Let's just say we conquer Saleh's regime, you think General Mohsen and Shaikh Sadiq will say, we got rid of Saleh's regime/Ruling Party, you may now elect a new President? You're wrong! 
They'll say, since we fought Saleh by sacrificing our lives, now we must have at least big share in the new Yemeni government if not the entire government. It doesn't stop there, the Houthies in northern Yemen will demand independent State, the southern movement (Harak) will also demand independent State, we'll end up losing Abyan province to al-Qaeda for good and I'll personally move to southern Yemen because I had enough of Al-Ahmar's family.

Now, is it worth losing thousands more lives simply to prosecute few individuals? 
Think twice because the outcome is very expensive. I say, let us as a unified nation put the past behind and think about a brighter tomororow. We'll achieve our demands over time but we must be patient and put Yemen's best interest our top priority.

Many people may ask, what about the families of the martyrs? Theoretically, those who killed innocent people must be tried but in reality, if we turn to that option, we'll end up creating more issues than solving existing ones. However, the families of the martyrs MUST be given special attention. We can't bring back the dead but the new Yemeni government have to take care of their love ones.

Yemen Youth revolution has changed history to mark itself by far, the longest peaceful revolution. However, the Youth have been camping in the sit-ins for ten months but certainly won't camp there forever.  

My suggestion is to put the GCC deal behind and move on. The Youth continue their demands peacefully till we see what the unity government has to offer under the leadership of Voice President Hadi. Let us be optimistic not pessimistic and look at the bright side of the GCC deal. You may disagree with me but I feel we have at least achieved one of our revolution goals by bringing down Saleh

 

The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Initiative - Revisit

About two months ago, I wrote an article about the Gulf Coordination Council (GCC) initiaitive and here we're revisiting the GCC deal that we got stuck with since April of 2011.

I don't know about you, with all due respect to the citizens of Saudi Arabia, I call the GCC initiative, "KSA Royal Family Initiative". The initiative/deal was proposed by the KSA Royal Family and the rest of Gulf Countries were dragged into it. Either way, let's take closer look at it... 

On Thursday, November 10th, the United Nations envoy Jamal Benomar arrived in the capital of Yemen, Sanaa, to negotiate a handover of power in hopes of ending the ongoing protests calling for immediate step-down of President Saleh. Now, you are probably thinking, it's great if Saleh and the Ruling Party, GPC, sign the GCC initiative, problem solved!!! You might want to think about it twice because signing the GCC initiative works in favor of Saleh's regime. What about the Youth and their demands? The term "Youth" shall mean the brave men and women camping in the sit-ins and those supporting the peaceful revolution to bring down the corrupt regime.

Aljazeera reported, Yemeni government officials told the Associated Press that if Benomar's trip is successful, Saleh would issue a decree handing over all powers to Vice President Hadi who would then sign an April Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) initiative to name an opposition politician to form a new national unity government to prepare for early elections.

Analysis:

On May 20th, two days after the largest massacre committed by Saleh's security forces and snipers against peaceful protesters, leaving at least 52 people dead, Commander of First Armored Division, General Ali Moshen Al-Ahmar defected. Things were moving fast and in favor of the revolution. Saudi Arabia realized Saleh's regime was about to fall. 

On April 6th, a proposed initiative, lead by Saudi Arabia, was introduced to end Yemen's crisis. Even though it was in favor of President Saleh and the Ruling Party, General People's Congress (GPC), the opposition (JMP) agreed to it and signed it.   

Many of us know that the government of Saudi Arabia has influence on Yemen government as well as some tribe leaders. Having stability and civil state in Yemen is considered a great danger to the Kingdom next door! So our neighbor, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), will do everything they can to insure, the person to rule Yemen is puppet to them, not necessarily President Saleh. Basically, the GCC initiative from day one was a trap to slow down Youth efforts and help Saleh remain in power. 

Considering Saleh, the Ruling Party (GPC) and the opposition (JMP), all signed the GCC initiative, it would only mean ONE-DEMAND has been met, which is removal of Saleh from power. In my opinion, signing the GCC deal will make it more challenging for the Yemeni people to get their demands met, why? Simply, by having a unity government, it means instead of just dealing with Saleh's regime, we'll be faced with the opposition (JMP) and Saleh's regime.

My guess, Saleh is willing to sign the GCC deal and step down if the GCC initiative guarantees at least the followings: 

• Immunity from prosecution for him, his family and relatives
• Maintaining his son Ahmed and nephews in charge of the Armed Forces

To me, agreeing to the above conditions mean a failure to the revolution because Saleh's relatives were the ones who ordered the killings of hundreds of innocent yemeni civilians and should be accountable for their brutal actions. How could today's killers be tomorrow's heroes!  

It's time to put our efforts together for better tomorrow and think not about oneself but Yemen as a whole!     

#SupportYemen

Yemen - possibility of civil war break out

Analyzing Yemen's situation or crisis as some people put it, which I disagree with, is such a complex task. Therefore, for someone who didn't live long enough in Yemen and/or doesn't have a clear understanding about its people, history and culture; it's very challenging to analyze the situation! 

Some articles talk about the possibility of civil war break out, without really having a solid ground for such analysis. If Saleh said one thing right, it's "Yemen isn't like Tunisia, Egypt or Libya", to each its uniqueness, despite having similar demands.

Few days ago, wrote an article about "the success of Yemen peaceful revolution", a controversial topic worth taking a closer look into. Another controversial topic came to mind and thought why not address it, especially to those who are unfamiliar with Yemen.


There is an old saying, "understanding the question is half of the answer". With that in mind, let's first identify the problems/issues and then analyze them accordingly, shall we!


Many of us buzz when asked this question, what would happen if civil war breaks out in Yemen? Before looking into the possibilities, few things shall be addressed to give a brief background about Yemen, listing main stakeholders (political and tribal factions, etc.)


Tribes and Politics:

• Tribal ties and loyalties - mainly in Ammran, Mareb, Jawef provinces and parts of Sanaa, Dhamar, Abyan, Bayd'a provinces
• To my knowledge, the biggest tribal federations are Hashid (lead by Shaikh Sadiq Al-Ahmar) and Bakil tribes, which play major role in Yemen's government politics. 
• Joint Meeting Parties, known as JMP, consisting of the rest of Yemen political parties with exception to the ruling party, GPC
• Houthies - control mainly Saad'a province, which has fallen under their control few months back          
• Harak - southern Yemen peaceful political movement
• Yemen Youth throughout Yemen, camping out in Freedom and Change Squares

Armed Forces:

• Saleh's family (son & nephews), commanding Republican Guards and Special Forces, Central Security Forces, etc.
• General Ali Mohsen Al-Ahmar, commander of First Armored Division, controls part of the capital, near Sanaa University and next to the Youth sit-in camp, knowing as "Change Square". General Mohsen also controls other army brigades in other parts of Yemen. 

Now, let's analyze Yemen situation and the possibility of civil war break out. Saleh has threatened, more than once, if the protests continue, Yemen will turn into second Somalia! Some yemenis feel that way too but in my opinion, referring back to what Saleh said, Yemen isn't Tunisia, Egypt or Libya; I say, Yemen isn't Somalia either. In short, the response is NO! The possibility of civil war break out throughout Yemen is very minimal.

Saleh's regime succeeded in dividing the Yemeni people for such long time but finally we figured out the problem and now demanding immediate elimination of the problem, "Saleh's regime". Going back to the possibility of civil war break out, prior to even General Moshen defection on May 20th, two days after the largest massacre committed by Saleh's security forces and snipers against peaceful protesters, leaving at least 52 people dead, clashes happened between Saleh's forces and tribesmen loyal to Shaikh Sadiq Al-Ahmar. Many people felt the clashes were personal, including the Youth, and none of the other tribes got involved. The same thing applies to Arhab region, northern of the capital, it was shelled many times by the Republican Guards, in an attempt to capture Shaikh Zandani, which Saleh's government believes he's hiding there under the protection of tribesmen. In Taiz, Yemen's second largest city and the heart of Yemen Youth peaceful revolution, clashes happened between peoples' protectors and government forces few times. I didn't mention the existence of Al-Qaeda because it's an issue, Yemeni people as a whole stand against.

Some of you may say, Yemen revolution is no longer peaceful because of the clashes that happened between tribesmen and government forces, but that doesn't necessarily mean the Youth are the ones to blame for! I still feel it's such fascinating for a nation consisting of 23 million in population yet 60+ million pieces of weapons to come out in massive peaceful protests with bare chests while being faced with Saleh's security forces live bullets, RPG's and even Anti-aircraft artillery. Our people own that many pieces of weapons but decided not to use violence. Even defected armed forces, lead by General Mohsen had only minor confrontations with Yemen government forces.

In conclusion, if Saleh's regime chooses continuing its brutal crackdown and the killing of peaceful protesters, it's possible for more clashes to happen but will be limited to some parts of Yemen (the capital, Sanaa, its surroundings and Taiz), as three provinces (Saada, Jawef and Mareb) are no longer under the control of the Yemeni government. It's "lose-lose" situation for Saleh's government!

 

Has Yemen Peaceful Revolution Succeeded?

Asking the same question multiple people, you'll get three different answers (Yes, No and possibly a Maybe). Now, I probably confused you and you're like, help me out here!

Yemen Revolution has its uniqueness just like previous Arab Spring revolutions in Tunisia, Egypt, Libya and on going revolutions in Bahrain and Syria. What worked in Tunisia doesn't necessarily mean will work in Yemen and so on. Each respected country has unique situation yet our people all demand one thing, end to dictatorship governments and basic human rights. Going back to our question, let's look in depth into the three possible responses:

Yes!
Many yemenis believe Yemen peaceful revolution has succeeded. How? Going back to May 22, 1990, Yemen unification day, south and north Yemen unified the land but our revolution unified our hearts. A drop of blood in Aden is felt in Sanaa and all over Yemen. Saleh's regime ran out of deceitful reasons to divide us as a nation. Massive peaceful protests demanding end to Saleh's regime took place in 17 provinces out of 22. While the regime claims of having support, pro Saleh protest are only carried out in the capital, Sanaa. That raises another question, is the capital still under control of Saleh's regime? The answer is NO! Sanaa is divided into three parts:

• Shaikh Sadiq al-Ahmar's tribesmen control an area of Sanaa, called "Al-Hasaba"
• General Ali Mohsen Al-Ahmar, commander of First Armored Division, controls part of the capital, near Sanaa University and next to the Youth sit-in camp, knowing as "Change Square".
• Saleh's regime still in control of Yemen government buildings, including Presidential Palace. At minimum, three provinces (Saada, Jawef and Mareb) are no longer under the control of the Yemeni government.

No!
Some people say, most of the armed forces, especially Republican Guards, still under control of Saleh's son, Ahmed. Central Security and other special units still also under control of Saleh's nephews. Thus, Saleh's government still have full control over Yemen despite defection of General Ali Mohsen Al-Ahmar back on May 20th, two days after the largest massacre committed by Saleh's security forces and snipers against peaceful protesters, leaving at least 52 people dead.


Maybe!
Some people say, the revolution has partially succeeded but due to many uncertainties at this point, it could swing either way. Pointing out, if Houthis in northern Yemen and southern political movement, Harak, demand independent States, then the revolution is failure even with Saleh's ouster. Their biggest fear is the possibility of endless civil war.

Final Thought
In summary, Yemen peaceful revolution, in few days, will enter its tenth month, marking the longest peaceful revolution in history! While some people fear the outcome of our revolution and just want things to go back to what it was prior to the uprising, one thing for sure, we have reached a point where there is no return. Going back is no longer an option! Yes, there are many uncertainties, many challenges ahead of us, many issues may also arise after Saleh's ouster but we're very optimistic about the outcome. As we surprised the world of coming out to the streets peacefully, in a nation consisting of 23 million in population yet 60+ million pieces of weapons. Our people came out in massive peaceful protests demanding basic human rights and an end to  decades of Saleh's corrupt regime with bare chests yet were faced with Saleh's security forces live bullets, RPG's and even Anti-aircraft artillery. The army we thought was there to protect us is being used to kill us. However, no matter what Saleh's regime uses to suppress our revolution, we strongly believe the will of our people will be victorious soon. Our unity is our strength, our strength is in our unity! 

Luxury Condo, For Saleh or Rent

Interesting article by Ken Silverstein, thought of sharing it. To read more, please visit the source as this is only PART I of the article, revealing some of Ahmed Ali Saleh real estate assets.

Why is Yemen’s presidential family loaded up with millions of dollars in D.C. real estate?

BY KEN SILVERSTEIN | OCTOBER 18, 2011

Jack Blum, an attorney and former Senate counsel who played a key role in investigations into the Bank of Credit and Commerce International and the Lockheed Corp.'s overseas bribery scandal, summarized the key questions surrounding Ahmed Ali Saleh's condo-buying: "Was an American bank involved at any point in the transactions, and if so, did it file a suspicious activities report? If so, was anything done with it, or did it just make for interesting wastepaper? Where did he get the money? Could he have afforded to buy the properties on his official salary?"

Al-Basha, at Yemen's Washington embassy, would not provide information on the salary of President Saleh, his son, or other top government officials.

Meanwhile, back in Yemen the uprising continues. President Saleh has repeatedly said he's going to leave office -- only to back away at the last minute.
The rental listing suggests that neither the president nor his eldest son plan on retiring to Washington anytime soon, however. The property owner "will consider long term lease," the listing says, so it looks as though Ahmed Ali Saleh isn't ready to move in to his luxury condo just yet.

 source: Foreign Policy

Yemen - politicians play the terrorism game

(Yemen Times) SANA’A, Oct 12 — In his major speech, Yemen’s embattled President Ali Abdullah Saleh, on Saturday, accused defected major general Ali Mohsen Al-Ahmar of aiding armed Islamists. It is believed that these Islamists are of the same consortium that took control of Abyan late last May.

This speech was Saleh's second since his return from Saudi Arabia after three months of medical treatment for injuries he sustained during an assassination attempt at his presidential palace early last June.

During his meeting on Saturday with a number of Shoura and Parliament members President Saleh said, “since 2006 and me winning the elections and the JMP losing and the country has been in continuous turmoil. One of the lawless and defecting generals [Ali Muhsin Al-Ahmar] calls a military commander in Abyan [Mohammed Al-Somali] asking him to surrender Abyan to the revolutionaries and we will pull themselves as Al-Qaeda from the areas

“Where are the American Intelligence and the FBI? They keep pestering us day and night about Al-Qaeda? But I am still siding with the war against terrorism and its supporters,” said Saleh.

However this accusation by Saleh against the defected army which sided with the peaceful revolution demanding an end to Saleh’s 33-year rule came only one week ago when the Yemen’s air-force bombarded a military position in the center of war-torn Zunjbar belonging to the defected army. This took place whilst they advanced in the city against the armed Islamists, according to Anis Mansour, an expert on Al-Qaeda and a local journalist in Aden who has reported exclusive news on the recent development in Abyan.

Mansour claims that his sources in the military and local areas provide him with details and facts of the battles. He explained that he knows three of Al-Qaeda’s members who were killed late last August during fighting in Abyan against the army and they were identified as agents of Saleh’s regime.

“The intelligence service leader’s son in Al-Jawf was one of those who lost his life in the fighting in Abyan. It was he who was battling with the armed Islamists,”  said Mansour.

“ Another son of prominent tribal leader, Sagheer Bin Azeez in Amran governorate who is loyal to president Saleh was killed while was fighting with the armed Islamists,” he said.

Further, he said, “there are local tribesmen in Abyan loyal to the Islah Party -- the opposition Islamic party -- who fought against Al-Qaeda recently. It is they who supplied the blockaded 25th Mechanic brigade that sided with the revolution through the provision of food during the three-month siege imposed on the military camp by the armed Islamists.

However, last July, Yemen’s air-force shelled the military position that belonged to the opposition tribal forces fighting against Al-Qaeda and killed around 40 tribesmen and wounded others, according to Mansour. Further, a teenager from Ashal tribe in Abyan whose tribe has supported the defected army against Al-Qaeda in Abyan was assassinated in September in the capital Sana’a for their position against Al-Qaeda, according to Mansour.

 “The position of the Islah party [which is the most tangible opposition party to defected Al-Ahmar] is clear on the premise that Al-Qaeda is a terrorist organization. They do also believe that Al-Qaeda was made by Saleh to use it as a bargaining card to remain in the power,” Mansour said.

Three days ago, a house in the Musaimair district of Lahj governorate belonging to a tribal leader loyal to the defected general Al-Ahmar was destroyed by Saleh’s security forces. The security agents claimed that “the tribal leader is a spy for the defected general.” “In fact the military brigades who sided with the revolution are fighting fiercely and with clear determination against Al-Qaeda, but Saleh’s loyal army hinders their advances in order to prolong the battle against Al-Qaeda in Abyan. This is a merely a political tool,” he said.

Warning: ‘Islamic emirate of Ja’ar’ being established in Abyan, Yemen. emptyquarter

However, according to Mansour, the defected general Al-Ahmar has his own loyal jihadists in Abyan.

“Ali Mohsen Al-Ahmar has his own terrorist group commanded by the two well-known Jihadists in Abyan: Khaled Abd Al-Nabi and Abd Alateef Al-Sayed. The two concerned fled Abyan one month after the battle between armed Islamists and army started in Abyan. Mansour elaborated, "this group is known as jihadists as well and they are moving upon orders from the general Ali Mohsen,” he said. Tareq Al-Fadli, a former Yemeni jihadist based in Abyan who fought in Afghanistan against the Soviet Union is a brother-in-law to the defected general as the latter is married to Al-Fadli’s sister. This former jihadist is closely connected to the jihadists commanded by Abd Al-Nabi. Al-Nabi is an ally of the defected general, according to Anees Mansour.

Conclusion 

“There is concrete evidence that supports the opposition’s claim that Saleh’s regime has been prolonging the fighting against Al-Qaeda in Abyan. This is in order to utilize that as card for Saleh to remain in power,” said Mansour.

“Tribesmen loyal to the army against Al-Qaeda were bombarded last July, defected army teams who were advancing inside Zunjbar was air-raided on Oct 1st  who were forced to move backward while they were progressing much and were about to take control of Zunjbar.,” he said.

According to Mansour that which is taking place in Abyan is well-linked to the political crisis in the capital and “when this crisis finishes in Sana’a, the Al-Qaeda-army battle in Abyan will be resolved immediately.”

Khaled Abd Al-Nabi, commander of Islamic Jihadists who are an ally to the defected general Ali Mohsen Al-Ahmar has been imprisoned many times, but was released with no explanations which hints that military leaders in top positions from both the defected and Saleh’s camps are in contact with the armed Islamists.

Each party uses Al-Qaeda to achieve some political purposes.

The armed Islamists who are dominant in Abyan at the moment, and known as “The Islamic law supporters” have links with Al-Qaeda but large numbers of its members are intelligence agents. Not all are aware of the status of their fellow Islamists, according to Mansour.

Saeed Ubaid Al-Jemhi, another Yemeni expert on Al-Qaeda and author of “Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula” has often told then Yemen Times that both the  regime and the opposition have been playing the Al-Qaeda card to get the western support for power."


source: Yemen Times

Timeline: Protests against Saleh rule in Yemen

Jan 29, 2011 - October 9, 2011
(Reuters) - Following is a timeline of events since protests against the 33-year rule of Yemen's President Ali Abdullah Saleh began in January this year:

Jan 29, 2011 - Yemen's ruling party calls for dialogue with the opposition. Saleh supporters attack, disperse Yemenis trying to march to the Egyptian embassy to express solidarity with Egyptian anti-government demonstrators. Yemeni protesters chant "the people want the regime to fall."

Feb 3 - A day of anti-government protests brings more than 20,000 people onto the streets in Sanaa.

March 2 - The opposition presents Saleh with a plan for a transition of power, offering him a graceful exit. Saleh says he will draw up a new constitution to create a parliamentary system. The opposition rejects the proposal.

March 18 - Snipers kill 52 protesters at Sanaa University after Friday prayers. Saleh declares a state of emergency.

March 20 - Saleh dismisses his government.

March 21 - Senior army commanders, including Saleh ally General Ali Mohsen, commander of the northwest military zone, say they have switched support to pro-democracy activists.

March 23 - Saleh offers to step down by the end of 2011. He proposes to hold a referendum on a new constitution, then a parliamentary election and presidential vote.

March 25 - Saleh says he is ready to cede power to stop more bloodshed. Thousands rally in "Day of Departure" protests.

March 29 - Saleh holds talks with Mohammed al-Yadoumi, head of the Islamist Islah party, once a partner in government. Saleh proposes staying in office until elections but transferring his powers to a caretaker. The opposition rejects the offer.

April 2 - The opposition proposes a five-point plan for the army and security forces to be restructured by a vice-president acting as temporary president.

April 6 - Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim al-Thani says the regional Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) will strike a deal for Saleh to leave.

April 18 - Ruling party members form Justice and Development Bloc to support protests.

April 23 - Saleh agrees to step down in weeks in return for immunity from prosecution. The opposition agrees to the plan.

April 25 - The opposition agrees to join a transitional government under a Gulf-negotiated plan for Saleh to step aside.

April 30 - Saleh appears to sabotage the plan by refusing to sign in his capacity as president. GCC mediators tell the opposition Saleh will only sign the deal as leader of his party.

May 13 - Huge crowds across Yemen demand Saleh leave. Saleh declares: "We will confront a challenge with a challenge."

May 21 - The opposition signs the transition deal.

May 22 - Five members of the ruling party sign the deal, but Gulf Arab states suspend it after Saleh asks for additional conditions and diplomats fail to persuade him to sign it.

-- Loyalist gunmen trap Western and Arab diplomats in the UAE embassy in Sanaa, blocking mediators from going to the presidential palace. Diplomats later leave by helicopter.

May 23 - Saleh apologizes to the UAE, foreign governments criticize him for refusing to sign.

May 24 - Saleh's refusal to sign sparks street battles in Sanaa between security forces and a powerful tribal group, the Hashed tribal alliance, led by Sadeq al-Ahmar. At least 20 people are killed.

May 26 - Several countries, including United States, ask their diplomats to leave.

May 28 - Security forces and tribesmen agree to a truce.

May 30 - Truce breaks down, militants regain control of ruling party building in the Hasaba district of Sanaa.

June 3 - Opposition parades through Sanaa the bodies of 50 people it says were killed in clashes with Saleh's forces.

-- A bomb explodes at Saleh's palace in Sanaa, wounding the president, the prime minister, and the parliament speaker.

-- Saleh leaves for treatment in Riyadh

June 4 - Vice-President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi takes over as acting president and supreme commander of the armed forces.

July 7 - Saleh makes first televised appearance since attack, says he supports dialogue and welcomes power sharing.

July 25 - Opposition rejects government plan for dialogue, refusing to negotiate until Saleh signs transition deal.

Aug 20 - Several opposition figures quit newly formed National Council, exposing division in anti-government movement.

Aug 29 - Saleh says he is committed to holding elections for a new president as soon as possible.

Sept 7 - Ruling party approves changes to power transfer plan, which would transfer Saleh's powers to his vice president but give him three months to formally step down.

Sept 12 - Saleh empowers vice president to sign deal.

Sept 21 - Yemeni forces clash again with soldiers loyal to defected top general Ali Mohsen, violating a short-lived truce.

-- GCC Secretary General Abdbullatif al-Zayani leaves Sanaa after failing to get a power transfer deal signed.

Sept 23 - Saleh returns from Saudi Arabia, greeted by gunfire and explosions.

Sept 24 - At least 17 people are killed when government forces attack the main opposition protest camp in Sanaa, raising death toll in five days of fighting to at least 100.

-- Saleh says he is "carrying the dove of peace and the olive branch."

Sept 30 - Saleh says he will step down only if key rivals do not take over.

-- Yemeni and U.S. officials say Anwar al-Awlaki, a U.S.-born Muslim preacher linked to al Qaeda's Yemen-based wing, has been killed in an air strike.

Oct 3 - U.N. envoy Jamal Benomar leaves Yemen to brief the Security Council on what appears to be a fruitless effort to end the crisis.

Oct 8 - Saleh says he will step down in "the coming days" after months of protests, but the government says his exit is not imminent.

Oct 9 - U.S. Ambassador Gerald Feierstein meets Yemeni Foreign Minister Abubakr Abdullah Al-Qirbi and discusses the power transfer plan, official news agency SABA reports.

(Reporting by David Cutler, London Editorial Reference Unit; Additional writing by Jason Benham)

source: http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/10/09/us-yemen-events-idUSTRE7981BN20111009

Who is behind the existence of AQAP in Yemen

CNN, among many news agencies, reported on Tuesday, September 27, 2011, Yemen's defense minister escaped an assassination attempt when a suicide bomber attacked his convoy. A bomb-laden vehicle exploded at 11 a.m. local time, targeting Gen. Mohammed Nasser Ahmed's convoy in Tawahi, Aden, along Yemen's southern coast, Yemen's Defense Ministry said

The question is, who was behind the assassination attempt?
Most likely the Yemeni government will blame the attack on Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP). Even though, if AQAP is responsible for the attack, the blame should be on the Yemeni Government. Now, you probably thinking, what in hell this guy is talking about? continue reading and you will definitely know why Saleh's government is the one and only one to blame.

I have been saying this all along, surprisingly assassination attempts as the Yemeni government claims, targeting government officials, none of them succeeded! Always poor guards pay the price. No different than watching an action movie, Yemeni government officials (movie heroes) ALWAYS escape the attacks! That's clear indication of well-planned attacks by Saleh's government, simply to maintain foreign support and counter-terrorism funds from the United States.

Armies of Liberation interviewed Sheikh Hussain Al-Shuaib, one of the local dignitaries that attempted to convince AQAP to lay down their arms and withdraw from Abyan.

Just picked couple of the questions that Sheikh Hussain was asked, click here for the whole interview

Q5: There is a lot of talk that some of the devices of the Saleh regime are in favor of al-Qaeda taking control of some areas of the south. Are you able to confirm that?

A5: The role of the leaders of the brigades of the Saleh regime in Abyan and Aden was clearly evident on what happened and is happening in Zanzibar, the capital of Abyan province. The city was handed over entirely to al-Qaeda. Security pulled out of the military forces that were stationed there, including the central security. The sudden withdrawal from the city sparked surprise among all observers.

Q6: What is your view of the U.S. role in combating terrorism in Yemen?

A6: I welcome the U.S. role in the fight against terrorism through dialogue and scientific discussion rather than violence and military intervention. As I said before, violence only begets more violence, we welcome that any role of the U.S. put an end to violence and terrorism and that is peaceful.

Most Yemenis believe that AQAP operates as an arm of the Yemeni intelligence and security services. There are substantial indications of the relationship. With the revolution in full swing, defectors are starting to come forward with details.

Judge Hamoud al Hittar, head of Yemen’s now defunct Koranic Dialog Committee that “rehabilitated” 342 hardened AQAP operatives. A former Minster of Endowments, al Hittar said recently that the Saleh regime is “supporting a number of AQAP members in Abyan to frighten the West, and to suppress the Yemeni revolution.”

Judge Hamoud Al Hittar said many of the top AQAP members who he met during dialog sessions are, “dealing with the Yemeni regime and receiving financial rewards.” A well established system of communication and payments to AQAP militants is headed by three security officials, “one in a Presidential Guards, the second in the National Security and the third in the Interior Ministry.” (The Central Security forces are within the Interior Ministry and contain one of the counter-terror units) In essence, the same counter-terror commanders the US is relying on for its national security are paying AQAP to engage in violence, foster insecurity and heighten the US’s threat perception.

Former Foreign Minister Abdullah al Asnag wrote in June about the conflict in Abyan, “Although the government has declared the dead as terrorists, a substantial number of these supposed terrorists have turned out to be on the payroll of the National Security Agency (headed by Ammar Saleh). Many families of the deceased and supposed terrorists have reported that their sons were employed by the National Security Agency and some families even presented NSA ID Cards belonging to the deceased”

Yemenis are hoping foreign nations, especially the United States, through the use of their intelligence agencies, can see the real picture about Saleh's made organization (AQAP) and stand by the people of Yemen not Saleh's regime!

Help us break the silence and let the world see what is happening in Yemen. Use the hashtag #SupportYemen in Twitter and visit our Facebook Page #SupportYemen to express your solidarity.

Source: Armies of Liberation

Yemen Unity in Jeopardy!

On May 22, 1990, south Yemen (Democratic Republic of Yemen) and north Yemen (Yemen Arab Republic) unified, aftter being separated for about 40 years. In 1994, a war broke out, demanding South Yemen separation as claimed by Saleh's government. Many people were killed as a result of the war but Yemen remained united.

A political movement by the name "Harak" was formed in southern Yemen, demanding South Yemen independence. Harak is accusing northern Yemenis of stealing lands and properties from southern yemenis, which is not true! By generalizing, it's clear indication, Harak movement is following the same philosophy of Saleh's regime. To be fair, the lands, properties, etc. claimed by the Harak to be taken away by northern Yemenis were in fact distributed by Yemen government among high ranking government officials from both northern and southern Yemen. Yemen citizens in general are being depressed by Saleh's regime either in the south/north part of Yemen. The question is, is separation what southern Yemenis want? Fortunately, many southern Yemenis are against separation and for unity!

I was told by a friend of mine from Yafai, which is in southern Yemen, anyone raises South Yemen flag there is considered pro-Saleh. That shows how much southern Yemenis value unity. We all have been mislead by Saleh's regime for many years but our strength remains in our unity. I have said this before, but will say it again "20 years ago, we only unified the land but our revolution unified our hearts and souls!" Basically, Harak movement does not represent the general public in southern Yemen.

Martyrs of freedom from Aden, Sana'a, Abyan, Taiz and other Yemen cities paid their lives for a better tomorrow. Many of the former politicians careless about ordinary citizens rather have hidden agendas and special interests. They never cared about us then, simply served their personal interests. Is it the time now to criticize such people though? Bad move! Once we start pointing fingers at certain individuals, we lose our momentum on our common mission; which is bringing Saleh's regime down!

I kindly ask my fellow Yemenis, please do not let Saleh's goverment divide us again! We all love to see our beloved country, Yemen, prosper. We have many challengs ahead of us, but with our unity, patience and determination we can open a new page in Yemen's history. Let us put our past behind and work together for better tomorrow!  

Who Am I....

Who are you dude? Some people have asked me this question and felt obligated to give brief background about myself. I'm not politician nor a writer (that explains why I ended up in engineering school ) but an ordinary citizen of the free world. I joined Twitter mid January 2011 in support to the Egyptian revolution that brought Mubarak regime to an end. Unfortunately, I did not have the honor to participate in supporting the Tunisian revolution.

I go by Hameed Ali on Facebook, but that's not my real name. My real first name in "Mohamed" and prefer to keep my last name anonymous at this point. I'm Yemeni by birth, an engineer by profession and a freedom fighter by choice!  I used to always avoid watching the news, simply because I'm not into politics, but the uprising in the Arab world inspired me like many people out there. It was inevitable for me to just sit and watch while innocent people are being slaughtered by dictatorships and family business regimes.   

I already envisioned a change in Yemen, so the Twitter account I created was @Yemen4Change prior to Yemen Youth revolution kicked in. Couple of weeks later, Yemeni Youth in Washington D.C. had a meeting in preparation to organize weekly demonstrations to support Yemen Youth peaceful revolution. Yemen Youth in D.C. also formed Facebook group (Yemeni Youth Abroad for Change) and launched a website (YYAC) to document Yemen revolution. I'm honored to be a part of the YYAC team, who have organized many protests in front of the White House in Washington D.C.         

My blogs will be for the most part short but straight to the point. Main focus will be on current events, specifically Yemen Youth revolution. On the occasion, I may write random blogs about different things. My blogs express my personal opinion and thought. Please feel free to drop me a note with any comment or suggestion

Gulf Cooperation Council, Hello neighbor!

Yemen Youth revolution shock the ground under Saleh's government at the time Mubarak's regime came to an end in Egypt. Shortly after, Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), lead by Saudi Arabia, proposed initiative to end Yemen's crisis. Even though it was in favor of President Saleh and the ruling party, General People's Congress (GPC), the opposition (JMP) agreed to it and signed it.

What about the Youth demands? In reality, Youth demands are legit but I doubt they'll be met under any peaceful agreement. President Saleh succeeded in manipulating the truth, coming up with various excuses such as AQAP among other things. I have to say, he did well on misleading the International Community, specifically the United States.

My message to the Youth "Do not wait for any foreign assistance/rescue!". We must take matters into our own hands. Yes, we have many challenges and differences but it's time to put differences aside and prioritize our work. The longer we wait, the harder it gets! Let us all put our hands together and give our revolution the boost needed to bring down the corrupt regime!  

Many of us know that the government of Saudi Arabia has influence on Yemen government as well as some tribe leaders. Having stability and civil state in Yemen is considered great danger to the Kingdom next door! So our neighbor, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), will do everything they can to insure, the person to rule Yemen is puppet to them, not necessarily President Saleh.

I was against those who used to critisize the government of KSA but I was wrong. For some reason, I thought they were helping Yemenis but turns out they're helping no one but themselves. I won't get into the details about the Yemeni tribe leaders who receive compensation for their loyalty from the government of KSA. Bottom line is, Yemenis as a whole must stand together in this critical time of Yemen's history to face the challenges ahead of us. Let's face it, if Southern Yemenis, Houthis, etc. each demand dependent state, we'll NOT win over the existing regime. I still don't understand what part of that many people don't understand!

So, it's time to put our grievance behind and look ahead for brighter future. Let us not think about oneself but Yemen as a whole!     

Yemen, what's next?

As Youth remain in sit-ins throughout major Yemen cities (Sanaa, Taiz, Aden, etc.), nothing have changed! The question is, why our revolution have lasted that long with no promising outcome? We're all aware of many challenges facing us as Yemenis but should never be an excuse!

President Saleh left Yemen two months ago for treatment in Saudi Arabic and that did not change anything. Ahmed Ali, his son, is doing a great job of killing innocent civilians. Our newly announced National Transition Council (NTC) did not even survive two days after the announcement. At least 30 pre-selected members refused to participate, claiming they were not consulted with ahead of time.

Anyways, what's next? Should our Youth just continue their peaceful protests? If so, till when?
We have to face reality! Youth can stay years in the sit-ins till they get sick and tired of it and eventually end up going home. YES! That's what will end up happening if Youth do not step up their game. The Joint Meeting Parties (JMP) won't get us anywhere and they already proved their failure many times. That does not mean we should just give up now, as we have reached a point where there is no return.

First step, the Youth throughout Yemen cities should coordinate their efforts. To my knowledge, there is lack of coordination among different groups in the Change Square in Sanaa! If we can't even communicate well among us, how would we expect to bring down Saleh's regime? Let us put our difference aside and focus on the common mission.

Yemeni Youth abroad will continue supporting the Youth in Yemen but there is not much we can do if tents in the Change Square have turned into popular places to chew Qat. If we want a change in Yemen, we must first make a change within ourselves!

Who is ruling Yemen now?

Let me introduce you to Ali Abdullah Saleh and family, currently ruling the Republic of Yemen:

• Ali Abdullah Saleh (father), President of the Republic of Yemen,
• Ahmed Ali Abdullah Saleh (son) commander of the Republican Guard and Special Forces,
• Yahya Mohammed Abdullah Saleh (nephew) Chief of Staff of the Central Security,
• Tareq Mohammed Abdullah Saleh (nephew), commander of the Special Guards,
• Ammar Mohammed Abdullah Saleh (nephew) Under the National Security Agency
• Ali Mohsen Saleh Al-Ahmar (step-brother) First Division Commander,
• Ali Saleh Al-Ahmar - Air Force commander and the commander of the Sixth Brigade Aviation,
• Tawfeek Saleh Abdullah Saleh (nephew) tobacco company and sulfur national,
• Ahmed Kahlani (father-in-law/4th wife) started as Sanaa City Mayer, then Governor, then Minister,
• Abdul Rahman al-Akwa (brother-in-law/3rd wife) moving from the Minister to the Governor of capital Sanaa,
• Omar Arhabi (brother of the daughter's husband) The Director of the Yemeni Oil Company,
• Abdulkarim Ismail Al-Arhabi (uncle of the daughter's husband), Vice Prime Minister and Minister of Planning, Director of the Social Fund for Development,
• Khaled Arhabi (son-in-law) Director of the Presidential Palaces,
• Abdulwahab Al-Hajjri (brother-in-law) Yemen's ambassador in Washington, D.C.,
• Khaled Abdel Rahman al-Akwa (brother-in-law/Second wife) and Undersecretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs,
• Abdulkhaled Al-Kadi (cousin of the president/mother side) The President of Yemen Airways,
• Mahdi Maqawleh (related to Abdukhale Al-Kadi/ from the same village as the President) Commander of brigade in Taiz and Commander of the South Army Division,
• Muhammad Ali Muhsin (from the President’s village), commander of the East Army Division,
• Saleh Aldhanin (from the President’s village) the former commander Khalid Army Division,
• Ali Ahmed Doid (son-in-law) Tribes Affairs,
• Numan Doid (brother of the daughter's husband), Governor of Sana'a, former Governer of Amraan, Amraan cement factory Manager for 10 years,
• Jubran Mujahid Abu Shawarib (brother of the daughter's husband) Amraan Governor and the list goes on and on….

Please feel free to correct me if I made a mistake in the above list. Our goal is to let the world know, Saleh's government is no different than a family business!