Yemen president's medical request puts U.S. in delicate position

[ via LA Times ] 27 Dec

The U.S. could help usher in a new regime in Yemen if it allows in President Ali Abdullah Saleh. But it could anger protesters who want to him to face justice.

A request by President Ali Abdullah Saleh of Yemen to come to the U.S. for medical treatment puts the United States in a delicate position, and the White House has not yet made a formal decision about how to respond.

The administration is also mindful of history. In 1979,President Carter permitted the shah of Iran to enter the U.S. for medical attention. That decision was viewed as one of the causes of the Iranian street protests that led to the attack on the U.S. Embassy and the seizure of American hostages in Tehran.

Posted in: International Relations, News, Politics, USA, Yemen