(Ahlul Bayt News Agency) - The Yemenis and many Middle East experts have fears that this visit is actually to symbolize a strong support from the US and Saudi Arabia.
We have conducted an interview with Nada Hashwi, political analyst, to share her opinion on this issue.
The following is a transcript of the interview:
Q: Do you think that since he [Ali Abdullah Saleh] is of course the head of one of the parties, do you think that when he comes back from the United States he will still have a grip on Yemen?
Hashwi: Definitely, because first of all he is not calling himself like my colleague has said that, an ex-president. He is still the president, he is still and now he has immunity and definitely when he is in America he has all the immunity that a president has.
So when he comes back, even if he does not come back, let's say, let's put that factor, he still has his nephews, his sons that they are controlling everything. They are controlling most of the government, they are controlling the army and you know for three decades and after all the terrible things that he has done, he is not going to just like go for a just signature that he signed.
We all know that GCC agreement that was done perfectly just for his size, just to let him to get his immunity, not to be prosecuted for all the killings that he has done and he is travelling right now a so-called medical treatment.
Q: Do you think his presence in the United States is to show that the United States wants to keep its ally next by? It's the main player...
Hashwi: The United States really do not care whether Saleh is on the chair or somebody else is on the chair as long as they can continue having what they have in Yemen, whether is a military, intelligence, any kind, hitting Yemen or the so-called, well al-Qaeda. Whenever they can do everything like that they are okay. They do not care whether it is Saleh there or anybody there.
And let's not forget the Saudi Arabia as well. They need the person who is going to come and sit on that chair has to be obedient, has to be loyal a hundred percent towards Saudis and America, whether we like it or not.
Q: Do you think that the US and the West have taken advantage of a certain lift within the opposition? We have some tribes, who were with the agreements with Saudi Arabia, Saudi Arabia and others who were not.
Hashwi: Well of course because if they do not take advantage of that they are not going to be able to do whatever they want to do in Yemen because let's not forget if Yemen, if the revolutionaries take control over Yemen, even if they are neutral in their politics it is not going to be satisfying for Saudis first or for the United States because they are not going to be able to do whatever they want or hit whomever they want. That is one thing.
Another, first of all they are talking about the election, the election next month. This is a joke. First of all in my opinion I am not going to call it democracy because it is not even close to being a democracy.
Second, if someone meant show, there is one guy that he put himself towards the presidential chair and he wants to be a president, it is like exactly like we finish from one person and we are getting on through the other the same idea, same everything.
This is why we see the Saudis, United States are so welcoming this step because they know that it is going to be a continuation to what Saleh has left over.
So in my opinion I do not see any change is going to happen. I see actually it is going to be something out of two things. If that is going to happen, the president is going to be takeover, Mr. ...
Q: The former vice president...
Hashwi: Exactly. Now we are going to see certain factors on the ground right now. Let's not forget there is the al-Qaeda, there is al- Houthis and there is the new comer now, they are calling themselves the Salafis.
Q: So do you think Yemen is in fear of separation now?
Hashwi: Definitely, definitely more than ever. We are talking about the military. There is no more unity in the military, there is dividing in the actual Republican Guard as well.
So what we are seeing, Yemen in my opinion, not in the near future, there is going to be any solution to it.
So something has to be done. What is it? I think the revolutionaries, they need to do something more than what they are doing right now. What it is? It is up to them to decide.
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