Good Luck to the Yemenis Fighting President Saleh!

How long will Obama remain silent on the conditions in Yemen? When will Obama give the Yemeni People the verbal support that he gave the people in Egypt in their successful revolution? And is now giving the people of Iran.

My wife and I have been reading these past days from different news sources from around the world asking the very same questions. Even though we knew that Obama would treat Saleh different from the other dictators. To be blunt Obama is being selective in the countries that he is supporting in the "peoples revolutions". And Yemen is not on his list of countries to support the people. Obama still has his money on the corrupt Dictator Saleh, $150 million if your interested in the amount. Just last month Hilary Clinton was telling us what a good idea it was for us Americans to build Saleh a Jihad Rehab!

I have talked with a few Yemenis who cannot understand why Obama is not demonstrating the same level of support for the people of Yemen as he did with the Egyptians, and now the Iranians. Some of them understand the politics involved. Some don't.

Whats really is sad, is that we Americans are going to give the ruthless Saleh 75 million for counter terrorism. And even send in more American trainers. Its sad because Saleh will use that money to keep the people oppressed, to bully the press, and any political opposition that may threatened his power. And why not? He has done it before and gotten away with it.

If Saleh goes, or not will depend on how long the Yemeni people can keep up the pressure on him. If they just give up to soon, Obama will continue to support Saleh, no matter how many other dictators fall in the region.

The Yemeni people need to make signs in English that can be read by viewers watching TV here in America. The messages need to be short, and direct. Like "Obama! Help Us! With Democracy!" "Obama! Tell Saleh He Needs to Go Now!" "Obama! You Helped Egypt and Iran! Why Not Us?" etc... Make sure that the Press can see the signs! Also if Yemenis can get to the Internet they need to send emails to the press about the treatment they receive from Saleh and his goons. And pictures taken with cell phones that can be sent to the press or others that can get the pictures out to the free world.

The Yemeni people have to get the American Press on their side! Three American Presidents have given the American people the perception that Saleh is a 'good guy". For over 11 years now, contrary to all the evidence that proves beyond a doubt how corrupt, and evil Saleh is. Our country's support of Saleh's regime has been because of politics, not because it was the right thing to do.

After our son was murdered in Yemen I wrote to the newspapers there. One of them published one of my first letters to President Saleh. We received numerous letters, emails, and phone calls form Yemenis from all over. What touched us the most was the often repeated words, "we are not like the men who murdered your son, we do not hate Americans. We want freedom here too." And "We can say we are sorry for what happened to your son and the other sailors here in Yemen, even if our President will not say it." and "do not judge us by the actions of our leaders". Our own little private war has been with Saleh, and his croonies, not the Yemeni people. I have stayed in contact with some of those Yemenis. And I hope and pray that your country will soon have a true democracy, and have the same freedoms , and opportunities that we do. I am just sad that my own government continues to back the wrong side. But we are hopeful that maybe President Obama will change his mind and show the Yemeni people the same support that he has shown Egypt, and Iran.

Good Luck to All Yemenis in your efforts to gain your freedom!

Will Obama Continue to Suppport The Dictator of Yemen?

I don't think that the Dictator Saleh will go as easy as Mubarak did when the time comes. But now that the whole world is watching Yemen, and its 32 year dictator, Obama may have to begin to distance himself from Saleh. It would not help Obama at all when the press starts to air Saleh's dirty laundry. But then again, Yemen is a totally different animal than Egypt, Iran, Syria or any other Middle Eastern Country. Yemen is crawling with Al-Qaeda, and has been since they were taken off the list of countries that support terrorism. But every America President since 1990 has bent over backwards to get Saleh on their side, no matter the cost in money and or American lives. But Saleh does not take sides. Never has. Only his own side. Clinton, Bush and Obama have all gotten egg on their faces more than once in dealing with Saleh. He has lied repeatedly to all of them, and always gotten away with it.

If the protesters in Yemen keep up the heat on Saleh's regime, Saleh will retaliate. Just like he has numerous times before. And hopefully our media outlets here in America will actually start to report about the real Saleh of Yemen. And not our own governments mantra, "Saleh is a trusted ally of America in the war on Terror." Instead maybe our press will begin to publish the facts of how Saleh has murdered, and starved his own people, his courts have freed know Al-Qaeda terrorists repeatedly, Saleh sided with Saddam, he views Israel as an enemy, his courts declared that Jihad is legal, he has used Al-Qaeda to further his own agenda, he has had members of the Yemeni press tortured, and imprisoned, the list is endless.

But I just read yesterday that Saleh's security forces will began to get American training in counter terrorism (what a joke, his own forces terrorize the Yemeni people), and a hugh increase in American dollars (I am sure that the extra money will come in handy when he has to flee the Yemen). I also read where Saleh's goons beat protesters with truncheons, sticks and knives over the week-end. The protesters want Saleh to leave, him and his whole rotten family. But its his family that control the military, and the big businesses. I also read where Saleh gave the military a nice big raise! Saleh may be a ruthless dictator, but he is no dummy. He is getting ready in case the protesters continue to grow in numbers, and become an even bigger threat to his rule.

How many Yemenis will have to be murdered before Obama gets tough with Saleh. Saleh calls the shots, not Obama. Its true that that Obama needs Saleh, but how bad does Saleh need Obama. Saleh could always call his old friends back, Al-Qaeda if he has too. Especially if he thinks that Obama is going to sell him out, and the protesters are at the palace gates screaming for his head.

Years ago I heard the same thing repeated by some politicians, FBI, and others in our government, "It will have to be the Yemeni people themselves to get rid of Saleh." Our own government refuses to get tough with Saleh. They fear that he will just go over to Al-Qaeda completely, and or that he will be replaced by an even worse dictator." So in the end more innocent people are murdered by Al-Qaeda, more Yemenis die as a direct result of Saleh's corrupt and vicious rule, and justice for the murder of 17 American Sailors continues to be forgotten by three American presidents while Saleh, his family, and his friends all grow richer off American Tax Dollars. And for 10 years now, three American Presidents have kept doing the same thing over and over with Saleh of Yemen and each one of them telling us, and themselves, " That this time it will work."

"the goons with sticks belong to Saleh in the picture"