__________________________
GRITtv: On the Ground in Yemen
Uploaded by lauraflanders on Jan 5, 2010
Abdul-Ghani Al-Iryani, a Yemeni political analyst, tells us what's really going on in his country--and why the US should stay out.
GRITtv with Laura Flanders brings participatory democracy onto your computer screen and into your living room, bridging the gap between audience and advocates. Watch any show, at any time: http://grittv.org
__________________________
No Coverage Zone:
Media Ignores Brutal Crackdowns
By US Allies Bahrain And Yemen
One of the major factors in the success so far of the “Jasmine Revolution” — the wave of pro-democracy revolts across the Middle East — has been the empowering international press coverage of the protests.
Yet in recent weeks, this coverage in the United States has been overwhelmingly focused on just one country where these revolts are occurring — Libya. While the events in Libya, where rebels are battling the Qaddafi dictatorship, certainly merit coverage, the American press has unfortunately failed to provide the same detailed coverage to the events in Yemen and Bahrain, two U.S. allies where mostly nonviolent protesters are being brutally put down by the armed forces in those countries.
A ThinkProgress analysis of press coverage by the three major U.S. cable news networks — CNN, MSNBC, and Fox News — from March 14 to March 18 finds that Bahrain received only slightly more than ten percent as many mentions as Libya and that Yemen received only six percent as many mentions as Libya:
– Libya: Libya was mentioned 9,524 times by the major cable news networks.
– Bahrain: Bahrain was mentioned 1,587 times by the major cable news networks.
– Yemen: Yemen was only mentioned 599 times by the major cable news networks.
The lack of coverage of the situation in Bahrain and Yemen isn’t disturbing just because the atrocities being committed there merit coverage. It’s especially alarming because, unlike Libya, both are close U.S. allies and recipients of major U.S. military and economic assistance — meaning that the U.S. actually bears a responsibility to make sure its assistance is not being used in ways that are contrary to American values.
One network that has been paying close attention to the revolts in Bahrain and Yemen is Al Jazeera English. It filed a detailed video report yesterday from the scene of a government attack on protesters in the capital Sana’a. Watch it:
Al Jazeera English is currently running a campaign to petition U.S. cable and satellite providers to bring the network into more American homes.
__________________________
YEMEN......19/03/2011....BEWARE PICS ARE VERY GRAPHIC..A MASS SLAUGHTER IS GOING ON
>> SATURDAY, MARCH 19, 2011
Anti-government protesters carry the body of a dead fellow protester in Sanaa March 18, 2011. Yemen's beleaguered president declared a state of emergency on Friday after at least 25 protesters were killed at an anti-government rally, saying armed groups rather than the police were behind the violence.
Anti-government protesters react as they carry an injured fellow protester in Sanaa March 18, 2011. Yemen's beleaguered president declared a state of emergency on Friday after at least 25 protesters were killed at an anti-government rally, saying armed groups rather than the police were behind the violence.
An anti-government protester reacts after clashes erupted with gunmen in Sanaa March 18, 2011. Yemen's beleaguered president declared a state of emergency on Friday after gunmen including snipers shot dead at least 25 protesters at an anti-government rally, but denied his police forces were behind the violence.
Backdropped by a Yemeni flag, female anti-government protestors attend noon prayers during a demonstration demanding the resignation of Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh, in Sanaa, Yemen, Saturday, March 19, 2011. Witnesses and asecurity official say police have stormed a protest camp in southern Yemen where thousands are calling for the ouster of the country's longtime president. Saturday's raid was the latest attempt by security forces to put down growing unrest. On Friday,security forces in the Yemeni capital Sanaa killed at least 46 and injured hundreds in the harshest crackdown yet by President Ali Abdullah Saleh against more than one month of protests against his 32-year rule.
An injured anti-government protester lies on a stretcher at a makeshift clinic in Sanaa March 18, 2011. Yemen's beleaguered president declared a state of emergency on Friday after at least 25 protesters were killed at an anti-government rally, saying armed groups rather than the police were behind the violence.
A brother of an anti-government protestor reacts next to his body in a mosque, during clashes with security forces in Sanaa, Yemen, Friday, March 18, 2011. Yemenisecurity forces fired from rooftops at protesters as some tens of thousands of anti-government demonstrators gathered in central Sanaa, killing at least 31 protesters.
Anti-government protestors try to save the life of a wounded demonstrator who died shortly after, at the site of clashes with Yemeni security forces in Sanaa, Yemen, Friday, March 18, 2011. Yemeni security forces firing from rooftops and houses shot at tens of thousands of anti-government demonstrators, killing at least 31 as the protesters entered a downtown square in the capital to demand the ouster of their autocratic president.
An anti-government protester, whose hand is stained with blood, flashes the victory sign as he shouts after carrying an injured fellow protester in Sanaa March 18, 2011.Yemen's beleaguered president declared a state of emergency on Friday after at least 25 protesters were killed at an anti-government rally, saying armed groups rather than the police were behind the violence.
A wounded boy shouts from pain as anti-government protestors carry him to a field hospital during clashes with security forces in Sanaa, Yemen, Friday, March 18, 2011. Yemeni security forces fired from rooftops at protesters as some tens of thousands of anti-government demonstrators gathered in central Sanaa, killing at least 31 protesters.
Anti-government protestors carry a boy shot in the head during clashes in Sanaa,Yemen, Friday, March 18, 2011. Yemeni security forces firing from rooftops and houses shot at tens of thousands of anti-government demonstrators, killing dozens as the protesters entered a downtown square in the capital to demand the ouster of their autocratic president.
An anti-government protestor shot in the head is carried to a field hospital during clashes in Sanaa, Yemen, Friday, March 18, 2011. Yemeni security forces firing from rooftops and houses shot at tens of thousands of anti-government demonstrators, killing dozens as the protesters entered a downtown square in the capital to demand the ouster of their autocratic president.
Anti-government protestors check the site of Friday's clashes with Yemeni security forces in Sanaa, Yemen, Saturday, March 19, 2011. Witnesses and a security official say police have stormed a protest camp in southern Yemen where thousands are calling for the ouster of the country's longtime president. Saturday's raid was the latest attempt by security forces to put down growing unrest. On Friday, security forces in the Yemeni capital Sanaa killed at least 46 and injured hundreds in the harshest crackdown yet by President Ali Abdullah Saleh against more than one month of protests against his 32-year rule.
Yemeni anti-government protesters carry away a wounded youth in Sanaa March 18, 2011 as 46 comrades were killed and scores wounded when pro-regime loyalists and police opened fire on them.
An injured anti-government Yemeni protester is treated in Sanaa on March 18, 2011 after 41 comrades were killed and scores wounded when pro-regime loyalists and police opened fire on protesters.
MARCH 17, 2011
How Long Can the White House
Hold its Breath in Yemen?
When Secretary of State Hillary Clinton announced her plans to visit Egypt and Tunisia last week, she declared America’s intent to be "a partner in the important work that lies ahead as they embark on a transition to a genuine democracy." Step one was grandiosely whitewashing the White House’s belated response to Egypt’s revolution.
“Let me be honest with you,” says Shahira Amin of Nile TV. “Many Egyptians are disappointed. They say the Obama Administration didn’t throw its full weight behind the popular movement right from the start. The U.S. was a bit hesitant before finally extending its support to the opposition activists in Tahrir. And some are calling it “double standards.” They say the U.S. preaches democracy and freedom on the one hand, and supports autocratic regimes when it suits their own interests.”
“Well, first let me say that I don’t think there’s any doubt that the United States, President Obama, all of us stand for democracy and for the values that undergird democracy,” she replied... “So the United States was very clear about its messages, that from the beginning, this needed to be peaceful, nonviolent, respecting the rights of the individual demonstrators and having a reform agenda that would meet those needs.”
Not many Egyptians will forget what really happened though, not when America's insincerity reflects throughout the region.
Soon after being chastised by Clinton and Defense Secretary Robert Gates, Saudi Arabia deployed troops into neighboring Bahrain in a “stabilization” campaign. Reports quickly surfaced that the Kingdom effectively told the Obama administration to “mind its business,” as Clinton busied herself expressing “alarm” at the government’s wider violence on opposition protesters. Then the government launched a new crackdown and arrested leading oppositional figures. Meanwhile, as Clinton vowed to support Libya’s opposition, serious decay in morale is starting to set in after Muammar Gaddafi’s brutal counterattack.
And most glaringly to The Trench, Clinton made no mention whatsoever to the ongoing government crackdown in Yemen. The “most dangerous threat to the U.S. homeland” has suddenly ceased to exist in Washington - surely just a coincidence! But the only non-existent quality in Yemen is America's message.
Although a double analysis of Yemen’s revolution is nearly complete, ongoing developments require an immediate reaction. U.S. officials last addressed Yemen’s crisis on Monday, practically an eternity in the current environment. The highest level official to go on record in the last week was counter-terrorism chief John Brennan, and his one paragraph touched off a louder U.S. response to negotiate with President Ali Abdullah Saleh. The chief problem - he’s kept beating, shooting, and killing protesters while offering a poisonous olive branch. Fully aware of how Egypt's violence unfolded, the White House continues to call for an "investigation" into Saleh's own security forces, as if they act independently of his orders.
Yemen’s opposition has widely denounced Washington’s coercive “dialogue,” and rejected responsibility for the government’s violence. Did the White House actually expect a different reaction, or is it simply assisting Saleh in his stalling tactics?
For starters, it makes no sense to deliver a political message through a counter-terrorism official. As the White House went silent again, U.S. ambassador Gerald Feierstein hammered this contradictory message home during a skeptical weekend interview with Gulf reporters. Naturally all Yemenis heard is U.S. support for Saleh. After an Embassy statement denied condoning Saleh’s violence, a tacit admission of guilt, it released another statement pointing to condemnation from the White House.
But a brief statement by a former spokesman in the State Department does not count as official U.S. policy. Where else does this happen besides Yemen?
It wasn’t until Monday morning that the U.S. Embassy in Sana'a finally updated its website. Until then Libyan news had dominated (and still is), whereas Libya’s website only addresses Libya’s crisis. Nor have there been any subsequent statements this week. However Yemen’s protests don’t occur only on the weekend, during the White House’s downtime. People have been beaten and killed for the last three days, to the point where Yemen’s government has now graciously promised not to use live bullets.
Then another large-scale crackdown hit Hodeidah. Some random U.S. official may be forced to speak up, yet the White House has defied this logic throughout Yemen's revolution.
The systematic nature of Yemen’s coverup is particular disturbing; silence and duplicity have kept Washington's response "consistent." This policy also appears unsustainable no matter how much Washington needs Saleh to buffer al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP), or how many distractions it can hide behind. Feierstein dared the opposition to formulate a plan for Saleh's exit and the opposition is responding to his bluff. Although encasing a multitude of ideologies and objectives, the opposition shares the singular demand for Saleh’s immediate resignation. Nor are the differences afterward that wide, given the circumstances. A divided Egypt found unity through revolution.
Turns out America’s silence has intensified the animosity against Saleh, accelerating his fall and the doomsday scenario Washington fears. As the White House discovered in Egypt and may find out in Libya, failing to support democratic revolutions comes with inescapable consequences.
Why is US backing force in Libya
but not Bahrain, Yemen?
Gulf Co-operation Council forces used tanks to drive protesters from a central square in Manama, Bahrain
What's the difference between Libya and Yemen or Bahrain?
All three states have been using violence to crush pro-democracy protests.
But only against Libya are the US and its Western allies planning a military response.
Yemen and Bahrain's crackdowns have so far been met only with words, not action.
On one level the answer is obvious.
Bahrain and Yemen are US allies - especially Bahrain with its large US naval base. Libya is not.
The US response to Bahrain is further complicated by neighbouring Saudi Arabia, Washington's number one Arab ally.
Sunni 'red line'The Saudis were not happy to see Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak go.
"Having watched Tunisia and Egypt go, other Arab leaders are following Libya's lead in drawing a line in the sand and opting for force rather than dialogue”
Losing the Sunni monarchy in its neighbour is a red line - that's why it took the unprecedented step of sending 1,000 troops over the border into Bahrain, after which the crackdown began.
But what happened to the "universal values" US President Barack Obama cited when he eventually backed protesters in Egypt?
His decision to abandon an old US ally there - Mr Mubarak - gave some the impression he was preparing to apply those values universally and to break with the past US policy of cosying up to other Middle Eastern regimes.
Critics say it was a dangerous impression, raising protesters' expectations as well as Gulf monarchs' blood pressure.
'Interests come first'"The US always preaches values that it cannot live up to," says Marina Ottaway, director of the Middle East programme at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace in Washington.
"In the end, its interests come first."
As the uprisings have spread out of North Africa to Bahrain and Saudi Arabia, those interests have come to the fore again, with Washington taking a more cautious, country-by-country approach.
For the US, stability in those oil-rich states now appears to trump the hopes of their protest movements.
Its concerns about Iran play into this thinking. Most of the protesters are from Bahrain's Shia majority.
Both the Bahrainis and the Saudi authorities establishment have accused Tehran of helping to orchestrate the unrest. And some US officials fear the toppling of the Sunni monarchy would become a victory for Iran.
Yemen is crucial to Washington for its battle with al-Qaeda - which makes the Obama administration cautious in how hard it pushes Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh.
"The US is very afraid that if Saleh goes, Yemen will fall apart," Ms Ottaway says.
Mr Obama condemned the latest violence in Yemen, in which at least 40 protesters were killed.
ReluctanceBut he would only call for "those responsible... to be held accountable", without directly laying it at Mr Saleh's door.
Washington has had a low-key response as well to violence used by Iraqi security forces against protesters there.
Even with Libya, the new caution is on display. The administration was reluctant for some time to back a no-fly zone, fearing it could lead to a third US war on a Muslim country, after Afghanistan and Iraq.
It only did so only after it got support from Arab states and European allies.
And it is still not clear how much the US will contribute militarily to the UN-backed no-fly zone or what will happen if Col Gaddafi succeeds in hanging onto power.
With recent history in mind and the tide of protest still sweeping through the region, caution arguably looks a sensible policy from a US point of view.
But it also risks giving conservative Arab leaders the breathing space they need to stall the push for reform and hang on.
Having watched Tunisia and Egypt go, other Arab leaders are following Libya's lead in drawing a line in the sand and opting for force rather than dialogue.
It's not clear if Mr Obama can do anything about it.
>via http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-12792637