Middle East

Saleh Forced Out As Yemen Is Latest Country To Fall In Arab Spring Riots

From January 2011 he struggled to quell big popular protests against his rule as a spate of gunbattles pushed Yemen closer to civil war. The violence culminated in deadly clashes between forces of the Hashed tribal group and government troops. Under mounting pressure, Saleh agreed to sign a Gulf accord in November that was meant to see him gradually relinquish power.

Published

13 years ago

February 20, 2012

Geoffrey Grider

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SANAA (Reuters) – Ali Abdullah Saleh, who once compared his 33-year rule of Yemen to “dancing on the heads of snakes,” formally steps down this week after Yemenis anoint a new president in an election many hope will give Yemen a chance for democracy.

A boy looks through a hole in a banner, with an image of Yemen's outgoing President Ali Abdullah Saleh, as he performs the weekly Friday prayers during a rally to show support for him in Sanaa January 27, 2012. REUTERS/Mohamed al-Sayaghi

No ceremonies are expected to mark the end for Saleh, who is out of the country being treated in the United States for injuries he sustained in an assassination attempt last June.

But the election, in which Saleh’s deputy Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi is the only candidate, is expected to pave the way for Yemen to introduce political and economic reforms and give it a chance to restructure security forces currently run by the outgoing president’s relatives.

Before he flew to the United States last month, Saleh apologized for “any shortcoming” in his rule and said he planned to come back. “I will return to Sanaa as head of the General People’s Congress party,” he told senior party and government officials in a televised speech before his departure on January 22.

But fears remain that the accord, inked in Saudi Arabia, the world’s No. 1 oil exporter which shares a long porous border with Yemen, may not provide the impoverished Arabian Peninsula state with a roadmap out of misery and chaos.

The bombing of Saleh’s compound in June, an apparent assassination attempt, left Saleh with severe burns, forcing him to seek treatment in Saudi Arabia, one of Yemen’s resource-rich neighbors which had tried in vain to ease him from power.

Ever nimble, Saleh reneged on three deals to transfer power before the attempt on his life and shrugged off U.S. and Saudi pressure to stay in exile, making good on a promise to return home in September.

But international pressure redoubled in October, when the U.N. Security Council adopted a resolution demanding he sign a handover plan brokered by Gulf neighbors. France and Britain hinted at European Union sanctions against him.

The United States has talked openly of its concern about who might succeed Saleh, an ally in the fight against al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, a Yemen-based wing of the militant group.

Until last year, Saleh’s grip on power seemed unshakeable. In 2010, supporters pushed for constitutional changes to allow him unlimited five-year terms as president. Speculation was high that he was grooming one of his sons as a possible successor.

But popular uprisings that toppled Tunisian President Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali and Egypt’s Hosni Mubarak resonated in Yemen, drawing tens of thousands to daily protests in Sanaa and in Taiz to the south, threatening his apparent dynastic ambitions.

Saleh began to offer concessions.

First, he said he would not stand for re-election in 2013 and dismissed the idea of his son succeeding him. Then he offered a referendum on a new constitution by the end of the year and a shift to a truly democratic “parliamentary system.”

But after the death of 52 protesters in March, mostly by sniper fire, a string of generals, tribal leaders, diplomats and ministers either resigned or switched their allegiance to the protesters.

They included key figures in the al-Ahmar and Sanhan tribes, kinsmen who Saleh had placed in key military and other positions.

When confronted with a power transfer deal brokered by the six-member Gulf Cooperation Council, Saleh was forced to accept that he has lost the ability to win back his former allies, and sign up to the deal.

OVERSAW UNIFICATION

Saleh became the ruler of North Yemen in 1978 at a time when the south was a separate communist country, and has led the unified country since the two states merged in 1990.

Opponents often complained that he failed to address the basic needs of Yemen’s people, two-thirds of whom live on less than $2 per day. Oil wealth is dwindling and water is running out, though liquefied natural gas exports began in 2009.

Yet Saleh managed to keep Western and Arab powers on side.

After the September 11, 2001 attacks on U.S. cities, Washington became more aware of Yemen as a source of foot soldiers for Osama bin Laden’s al Qaeda network. Bin Laden himself, though born in Saudi Arabia, could trace his roots back to Yemen’s Hadramaut region.

Saleh cooperated with U.S. authorities, and the CIA started taking action against wanted figures. But by 2007, militants had regrouped in Yemen, and in 2008 they announced that their Saudi and Yemeni wings had united under the banner of al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula.

From 2009, the resurgent group made ever bolder attempts to stage attacks on Saudi and U.S. targets beyond Yemen, as well as targeting foreign tourists at home. At the same time, Shi’ite Muslims in the north rebelled against Saleh’s rule and southerners, feeling marginalized, began a new separatist drive.

Saudi Arabia, the United States and other allies responded by stepping up financial support to bolster Saleh’s rule.

If Saleh has been a determined survivor, he has also been a charismatic and often popular ruler with a canny understanding of the workings of Yemeni society.

Born in 1942 near Sanaa, Saleh had only limited education before joining the military as a non-commissioned officer.

His first break came when President Ahmed al-Ghashmi, who came from the same Hashed tribe as Saleh, appointed him military governor of Taiz, North Yemen’s second city. When Ghashmi was killed by a bomb in 1978, Saleh replaced him.

In 1990, an array of domestic and regional circumstances propelled North Yemen under Saleh and the socialist South Yemen state into a unification that Saudi Arabia at first opposed.

He angered Riyadh by staying close to Saddam Hussein during the 1990-91 Iraqi occupation of Kuwait, leading to the expulsion of up to one million Yemenis from Saudi Arabia. Before the crisis, Kuwait had given Yemen financial aid.

But Saleh then won plaudits from Western powers for carrying out economic reforms drawn up by the International Monetary Fund and World Bank, and made efforts to attract foreign investors.

His General People’s Congress party swept to victory in a 1993 parliamentary election, the first held after unification. South Yemen tried but failed to secede in a brief civil war in 1994 and Saleh then proceeded to move closer to Saudi Arabia, allowing an influx of its radical Wahhabi form of Sunni Islam. source – Yahoo News

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Donald Trump

Donald Trump Explodes And Loses Control As Ceasefire Falters After Iran Fires Rocket That Kill Four Jews In Beersheba And Israel Vows To Repay

Published

1 week ago

June 24, 2025

Geoffrey Grider

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President Donald Trump issued a blunt warning to Israel on Tuesday to “not bomb Iran” as he departed for the NATO summit in The Hague, taking a critical position just 24 hours after brokering a fragile ceasefire already threatened after a missile strike from Iran.

President Donald Trump went full-tilt explosive after hearing that Iran had broken the ceasefire with an attack on Israel that wound up killing 4 in Beersheba, ordering Israel not to respond. He dropped an expletive deleted as he exclaimed that both sides, Israel and Iran, had no idea what they were doing. Those are words spoken by a man who has very little understanding of why Israel and Iran are at war with each other, and have been since 1979. That’s the memo.

“And it shall come to pass, that every one that is left of all the nations which came against Jerusalem shall even go up from year to year to worship the King, the LORD of hosts, and to keep the feast of tabernacles.” Zechariah 14:16 (KJB)

Donald Trump is not so much about peace in the Middle East as he is about scoring notches on the legacy belt of his presidency. But making peace is a tricky thing if you don’t understand the nature of the conflict. “Israel has to calm down, I have to get Israel to calm down,” he said. “I’m gonna see if I can stop it.” Why didn’t he say that about Iran, why is it always Israel that has to ‘calm down’? As we have long told you, Iran will break any and every treaty or deal they make, that’s who they are. Israel needs to fight this war until the regime in place in Tehran falls to the ground. Anything less is a pathetic waste of time, treasure and human lives. The prophet Daniel says “and unto the end of the war desolations are determined”, I agree with that.

Trump Goes Absolutely Berserk on Iran and Israel as Ceasefire Deal Crumbles

FROM MEDIAITE: Speaking to reporters before takeoff, the president said that both Israel and Iran had breached the terms of the truce and made clear he was “not pleased” with Israel’s promise to launch retaliatory airstrikes after agreeing to the deal.

Asked by a reporter about whether Iran had violated the ceasefire Trump replied: “They violated but Israel violated it, too.”

The president continued: “Israel as soon as we made the deal they came out and they dropped a load of bombs the likes of which I had never seen before. The biggest load that we have seen. I’m not happy with Israel.”

Iranian missile fired after the Trump ceasefire was declared killed 4 Israelis in Beersheba. pic.twitter.com/drBGjQOm2i

— Now The End Begins (@NowTheEndBegins) June 24, 2025

He added: “You know, when I say ‘okay, now you have 12 hours’ – you don’t go out in the first hour just drop everything you have on them. So I’m not happy with them. I’m not happy with Iran either. But I’m really unhappy if Israel is going out this morning because the one rocket that didn’t land, that was shot, perhaps by mistake, that didn’t land, I’m not happy about that.”

Before departing, he said: “We basically have two countries that have been fighting so long and so hard, that they don’t know what the f*** they are doing.”

In a further post on Truth Social just moments later he wrote:

ISRAEL. DO NOT DROP THOSE BOMBS. IF YOU DO IT IS A MAJOR VIOLATION. BRING YOUR PILOTS HOME, NOW! DONALD J. TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES

The comments come as the Israeli military vowed to carry out “intense” retaliatory strikes on Tehran following ballistic missile attacks from Iran that struck Beersheba on Tuesday morning, killing at least four civilians. In response, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz ordered a “forceful” counteroffensive, targeting what he described as “the heart of Tehran.”

Trump says Iranian missile didn’t land, but it did and it killed Jews

President Trump on Israel and Iran: “We basically have two countries that have been fighting so long and so hard that they don’t know what the fuck they’re doing.” pic.twitter.com/xrztmebALZ

— CSPAN (@cspan) June 24, 2025

Israel’s top military officials framed the action as a response to a “grave violation” of the US-brokered ceasefire and vowed Iran would “pay.”

Tehran denied any role in the attacks. Iranian state media claimed that “reports published about missile launches from Iran toward the occupied territories after imposing a ceasefire on the Zionist regime are denied,” accusing Israel of fabricating the provocation. The ceasefire agreement – announced late Monday by Trump from Palm Beach – was meant to phase out hostilities within 24 hours. READ MORE

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“Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;” Titus 2:13 (KJB)

“Thank you very much!” – Geoffrey, editor-in-chief, NTEB

Headline News

President Donald Trump Has Announced The US Has Bombed All Three Iranian Nuclear Plants In Tehran Joining Israel In Their Fight To Overthrow Regime

Published

2 weeks ago

June 21, 2025

Geoffrey Grider

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President Donald Trump said Saturday that the U.S. military struck three sites in Iran, directly joining Israel ’s effort to decapitate the country’s nuclear program in a risky gambit to weaken Tehran

As we have been telling you all week, the fateful day was right around the corner and moments ago President Donald Trump announced that the United States had successfully bombed all 3 nuclear sites in Iran. All reports say that Trump used the fearsome B-2 bombers with their massive 40,000lb bunker-busting payloads. How will Russia, China and North Korea take this news? We’re about to find out, and that’s the memo.

“Behold ye among the heathen, and regard, and wonder marvellously: for I will work a work in your days, which ye will not believe, though it be told you.” Habakkuk 1:5 (KJB)

Trump posted “We have completed our very successful attack on the three Nuclear sites in Iran, including Fordow, Natanz, and Esfahan. All planes are now outside of Iran air space. A full payload of BOMBS was dropped on the primary site, Fordow. All planes are safely on their way home. Congratulations to our great American Warriors. There is not another military in the World that could have done this. NOW IS THE TIME FOR PEACE! Thank you for your attention to this matter.” This is a breaking news story, and will be updated as new information is made available.

IF THERE WAS EVER A TIME TO READ THIS BOOK, THE TIME IS RIGHT NOW. CLICK TO ORDER!!

US has struck three Iranian nuclear sites, Trump says, joining Israeli air campaign

FROM THE ASSOCIATED PRESS: The decision to directly involve the U.S. comes after more than a week of strikes by Israel on Iran that have moved to systematically eradicate the country’s air defenses and offensive missile capabilities, while damaging its nuclear enrichment facilities. But U.S. and Israeli officials have said that American stealth bombers and a 30,000-lb. bunker buster bomb they alone can carry offered the best chance of destroying heavily-fortified sites connected to the Iranian nuclear program buried deep underground.

The image on the Left is the Fordow nuclear site in Iran AFTER the US strikes, and the image on the right is BEFORE the strikes. How much damage was actually done?Seems fairly substantial. pic.twitter.com/8EjsndCglk

— Now The End Begins (@NowTheEndBegins) June 22, 2025

“We have completed our very successful attack on the three Nuclear sites in Iran, including Fordow, Natanz, and Esfahan,” Trump said in a post on social media. “All planes are now outside of Iran air space. A full payload of BOMBS was dropped on the primary site, Fordow. All planes are safely on their way home.”

JUST IN: All reports are saying that this is the Fordow nuclear site as it was hit by B-2 bombers tonight. #WWIII pic.twitter.com/q1od0numWZ

— Now The End Begins (@NowTheEndBegins) June 22, 2025

The strikes are a perilous decision for the U.S. as Iran has pledged to retaliate if it joined the Israeli assault, and for Trump personally, having won the White House on the promise of keeping America out of costly foreign conflicts and scoffed at the value of American interventionism. READ MORE

BREAKING: US has attacked three Iranian nuclear sites, Trump to address the nation

President Donald Trump said Saturday that the U.S. military struck three sites in Iran, directly joining Israel’s effort to halt the country’s nuclear program in a risky attempt to weaken a longtime foe. This happens amid Tehran’s threat of reprisals that could spark a wider regional conflict. The decision to involve the U.S. comes after more than a week of strikes by Israel on Iran that have moved to systematically eradicate the country’s air defenses and offensive missile capabilities.

Now The End Begins is your front line defense against the rising tide of darkness in the last Days before the Rapture of the Church

HOW TO DONATE: Click here to view our WayGiver Funding page

“Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;” Titus 2:13 (KJB)

“Thank you very much!” – Geoffrey, editor-in-chief, NTEB

Headline News

June 19th Is The 23rd Of Sivan In The Hebrew Calendar, And What Happened On That Day In The Book Of Esther May Portend The Next Phase Of Israel’s War With Iran

Published

2 weeks ago

June 18, 2025

Geoffrey Grider

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In the book of Esther, King Ahasuerus on Sivan 23 issued the decree authorizing the Jews to defend themselves against their enemies, June 19th is Sivan 23.

Sometimes in the Bible you find an amazing nugget, other times you find some fascinating coincidence. This one from the book of Esther is one of those two things, and we will let the reader decide. In Esther 8, we see Mordecai on the authority of King Ahasuerus have a writing written which authorized the Jews to rise up against their enemies, which result in the ‘good day’ celebrated every year on the Feast of Purim. Sivan 23 was not only a ‘good day’ for the Jews, it was a game-changer of a day. Do you know what tomorrow, June 19th is, on the Hebrew calendar? The 23rd of Sivan. That’s the memo.

“Then were the king’s scribes called at that time in the third month, that is, the month Sivan, on the three and twentieth day thereof; and it was written according to all that Mordecai commanded unto the Jews, and to the lieutenants, and the deputies and rulers of the provinces which are from India unto Ethiopia, an hundred twenty and seven provinces, unto every province according to the writing thereof, and unto every people after their language, and to the Jews according to their writing, and according to their language.” Esther 8:9 (KJB)

How does this tie in with the war in the Middle East happening right now between Israel and Iran? For the past 72 hours, Donald Trump has dropped clue after clue that he is planning on the United States striking the Iranian nuclear plants, and taking them out. With each passing day, the chatter regarding when this might be has swelled to a fever pitch. For this to happen on Thursday, the 23rd of Sivan in the Hebrew calendar, would place it squarely between an amazing coincidence and a true biblical nugget. Donald Trump as King Ahasuerus ‘issuing a decree’ and authorizing the Jews to defeat their enemies on the exact same day it happened in the book of Esther? Game on.

President Trump has approved of plans to attack Iran, maybe on Sivan 23

FROM THE JERUSALEM POST: US President Donald Trump told senior aides that he approved of plans to attack Iran, but he is waiting to see if Iran will abandon its nuclear program before giving the final order, three sources familiar with the discussions said to the Wall Street Journal.

As previously reported by The Jerusalem Post, Commander of US Central Command (CENTCOM) Gen. Michael Kurilla met with US President Donald Trump and presented him with military options regarding Iran. The WSJ reported that when Trump was asked earlier if he had decided whether to strike at Iran’s nuclear facilities, the president said, “I may do it, I may not do it.”

He also repeated his insistence on Iran’s unconditional surrender: “The next week is going to be very big, maybe less than a week.” On Wednesday, Trump reportedly arranged for a meeting with Iranian Foreign Ministry officials.

On Wednesday, Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei rejected Trump’s demand for unconditional surrender, as Iranians jammed the highways out of Tehran, fleeing from intensified Israeli airstrikes. He warned that if US attacked Iran warned that if it attacked Iran, the United States “without doubt will face irreparable harm.” READ MORE