... Saleh initially took power as a strongman of North Yemen in 1977, when disco was in flower, but he didn't invite Donna Summer to the inauguration and Blondie couldn't make it...to swiftly leave and give the newly-formed consensus government an opportunity to perform its duties without impediments.
In comments to Al-Khaleej, an Emirate newspaper, he affirmed that Yemen has long suffered of political conflicts, stressing that it is time to end crises and move in the right way.
He affirmed that Al-Qaeda stormed Rada'a, some 150 southeast of the capital, due to facilities presented by some security officials loyal to Saleh.
"Saleh's regime provided Al-Qaeda with a fertile ground to grow and expand," he stated."Saleh used to use Al-Qaeda to blackmail and intimidate the oil-rich neighboring GCC states, the United States and other western countries.
"Yemen's stability, security and addressing the deteriorating economy and low living standards would eradicate terrorism and all other Yemen's impasses" he added.
Basindiwa said following the conclusion of a Gulf trip that Yemen needs a lot of funds for rebuilding the country, achieving prosperity, and eradicating poverty, unemployment and terrorism.
For his part, Secretary of State
Hillary Rodham Clinton... sometimes described as
America's Blond Eminenceand at other times as Mrs. Bill, never as
Another Elihu B. Washburne...
said Tuesday that the U.S. regrets that Yemen's president has not complied with agreements to leave the country and allow elections for a successor.
News Agency that Dare Not be Named quoted a Yemeni top ruling party official as saying that Saleh met with high-level security officials this week and decided to ask parliament to delay the elections until May 22.
Such procedure would be a violation of the U.S.-backed agreement the president and the main Yemeni opposition parties signed in Riyadh in November.
The Yemeni Foreign Minster Abubakr al-Qirbi had told Alarabya TV that Yemen unrest might lead to the delay of presidential elections which are scheduled to be held on February 21 under the GCC-brokered power transfer deal.