(Ahlul Bayt News Agency) - The following is a talk with Dr. Syed Ali Wasif, president of the Society for International reforms in Washington, who says the Yemeni clerics can bring stakeholders together to form a unanimous platform for change provided there is US support. Following is a transcript of the interview.
Q: There are conflicting reports about Ali Abdullah Saleh's health condition. The media has no access to him and some are now saying he may be dead. What is your assessment?
Dr. Syed Ali Wasif: Until an official report confirms him dead we cannot presume this. Though he is outside of Yemen he remains a potential threat because his ruling aids his ruling family is still in command in Yemen. The military in Yemen is controlled by his son. The various government apparatus is also controlled by his family and clansmen so it is difficult to say anything at this moment.
Q: Do you expect any change in Yemen's relations with the US or Saudi Arabia after Saleh is out of the picture?
Dr. Syed Ali Wasif: Well, yes, and this depends on the US and Saudi Arabia. If the US and Saudi Arabia can see and recognize the legitimacy of the ongoing political struggle on the streets of Yemen and they decide to force the family and cronies of Saleh out and if they allow a transition with free and fair elections there I think the people will at last have a soft corner for the US, and for Saudi Arabia for that matter. However, there are elements in Yemen that are totally against the Saudi and US intervention and drone attacks as well.
We have to see one thing that either the US kick out Saleh and his cronies immediately or face a long term civil war or military campaign from the opposition forces.
To everything there is a limit and I think the Americans are crossing the limit in the name of fighting terrorism and al-Qaeda. It's not just al-Qaeda... it's basically the people of Yemen against the Saudi intentions; the Saudi colonial policies and American policies in Yemen in installing the puppet regime of Saleh.
The way to do that is to take on board all the stakeholders in Yemen. That is, to make a new constitution based on the political principle of consociationalism. Consociational principles mean taking on board all the different communities in Yemen, like in Lebanon. So, you have a proportional representation of all the communities and all the tribes. You can have this provided no tricks or gimmicks are played in this regard by the CIA or by the Saudi spy agencies active in Yemen.
Q: Earlier in your comments you mentioned about Saleh's aids and apparatus and that his son is now in charge of the government and armed forces. Will these aids listen and give in to the demands made by parties such as influential clerics and tribal leaders and the youth opposition to basically conduct a presidential poll or to establish a transitional government during this period that Saleh is absent from power in Yemen?
Dr. Syed Ali Wasif: It would be totally naïve to conceive such an idea that the cronies and aids of Ali Abdullah Saleh will give up so easily; it's naïve.
If you take the history of Yemen, the clerics in Yemen are not like the clerics of Iran or Lebanon or other countries that have experience in local and international politics. In Yemen we don't have that kind of legacy from the Islamic seminaries or the clerics...
It depends totally on the US. And the US has been pressuring Saleh to quit. I think if the US sees and anticipates that there is a lot of pressure being built up by these clerics and they are making the people stand up on a singular unanimous platform then I think it would be difficult for the US to withstand such political pressure on the streets and in the mosques... and so it depends on how these clerics prepare their strategy and push for their demands.
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