Troops open fire and klll 15 Yemeni protesters: Excuse the strong language, I find that appalling

[Better Believe It]

Troops open fire on Yemeni protesters
msnbc.com news services
April 4, 2011

SANAA, Yemen — Security forces and plainclothes gunmen opened fire on crowds of Yemenis marching through a southern city Monday, killing at least 15 and wounding dozens, in an intensifying crackdown against the uprising against the 32-year rule of President Ali Abdullah Saleh.

Witnesses described troops and gunmen, some on nearby rooftops, firing wildly on thousands of protesters who marched past the governor's headquarters in Taiz in the second straight day of violence in the southern city. Some — including elderly people — were trampled and injured as the crowds tried to flee, witnesses said.

Monday afternoon, U.S. State Department spokesman Mark Toner called the latest violence in Yemen "appalling."

Asked if the United States believed Saleh must go, Toner replied: "That's not necessarily a decision for us to make." He said the United States was talking to the government and the opposition in the hope of achieving "a peaceful solution.'

Read the full article at:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/42413911/ns/world_news-mideastn_africa

[atreides1]

1. "a peaceful solution.'

I would say it's a little too late for that.

[scarletwoman]

2. Appalling, indeed. One feels that a sternly worded note might be in order.

I trust that our State Department will craft such a missive forthwith.

Perhaps our Department of Defense can deliver it along with the next shipment of weapons to the Yemeni government.

[sad sally]

3. I'm sure the message to tell our one-time friend that it's time for him to leave

will be done diplomatically. If that doesn't work, we have a few dozen missiles we can persuade him with.

Apr 3, 2011 10:58pm EDT

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States has concluded Yemen's President Ali Abdullah Saleh will not likely enact reforms demanded by opposition protesters and must be eased out of office, The New York Times reported Sunday, citing U.S. and Yemeni officials.

The United States has talked openly of its concern about who might succeed Saleh, whom it views as an ally who has helped to contain al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, a Yemen-based wing of the militant group.

About 82 people have been killed in anti-government rallies in the Arabian Peninsula state.

President Barack Obama's administration had supported Saleh but began to shift position on the Yemeni leader in the past week, the New York Times said.

American officials have told allies and some reporters that they now view Saleh's hold on office as untenable and they believe he should leave, the newspaper reported.

A Yemeni official was cited as saying negotiations with Saleh on the terms of his possible departure began a little over a week ago, after gunmen linked to the government killed more than 50 protesters at an rally on March 18.

"The Americans have been pushing for transfer of power since the beginning" of the negotiations which were still in progress, the official told the newspaper.

http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/04/04/us-yemen-usa-...?du

[Better Believe It]

4. Written on official State Department letterhead! That'll work!