War in Yemen 'not going well' for Saudis: Commentator

Press TV has interviewed Richard Becker, with the ANSWER Coalition from San Francisco, about a decision by the camp of Yemen’s resigned president Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi to suspend peace talks in Kuwait.

The following is a rough transcription of the interview.

Press TV: Isn’t it interesting that now a Hadi delegate has suspended talks saying that Ansarullah is the one violating the ceasefire, when all the evidence shows the opposite?

Becker: Yeah, it is very interesting and I think that we have to keep in mind that negotiations usually take place such as these negotiations when neither side is able to decisively prevail over the other. And that means that the war is really continuing, the negotiations, the truce are really a phase of the war which may be accompanied by the continued shooting war at the same time.

There was a very long period of negotiations between the US and Vietnam that started in the late 1960s and continued for years afterwards. And it did not mean that the war had stopped. So, I think this is a false claim on the part of the Hadi forces and particularly behind the Hadi forces of course and giving them power is Saudi Arabia with the backing of the United States.

So, what has caused them to pull out or shut down the negotiations at this point, we’re really not exactly sure but they must feel that the struggle is not going well for them despite all the damage that they’ve done, all the death and destruction that they have imposed on Yemen.

Press TV: Many people say that obviously the Saudis haven’t really achieved much of their goals when it comes to Yemen and why they started this aggression to begin with; so, do you think that they will get some sort of a save-face result here?

Becker: Well, I had a little trouble hearing what you were asking, but I think that you were asking if the Saudis and their allies would be able to achieve their aims and I  don’t think that they will, I don’t think that they’re able to do that, I think that they’re very worried about what’s going on in Yemen.

And we’re talking about a regime in Saudi Arabia which is one of if not the least democratic regime in the entire world and there’s a great deal of dissatisfaction because of that in large parts of the Saudi population and there is a crossover between Yemen and Saudi Arabia in terms of population. So, the Saudis have intervened in this way and gotten the backing of their long time sponsor, which is Washington, to be able to try to crush the popular movements inside of Yemen.

Press TV: And finally talking about Washington, Mr. Becker, do you think there is pressure from Washington on Riyadh to end this?

Becker: Well, I don’t know. We don’t really seek clear signs that the US is trying to end it. The relationship that exists between the US and Saudi Arabia, which has existed for a long time, this one that has been enormously beneficial from the point of view of petrodollars and bank accounts and military contracts and so forth. So, the United States is very much well it’s the dominant power. The leadership in the United States is very much dedicated to maintaining this relationship with Saudi Arabia.

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