Saudi Arabia main source of trouble for Muslims: Commentator

Press TV has conducted an interview with Hussain al-Bukhaiti, an activist and political commentator from Sana'a, to discuss the escalation of the Saudi aerial campaign against Yemen.

Here is a rough transcription of the interview:

Press TV: The attacks on Yemen continue unabated. How much do you agree or disagree that the Saudi offensive is on because the Yemeni retaliation also continues?

Al-Bukhaiti: This is exactly happening during the so-called ceasefire. It's really disgusting when you hear the [UN] Security Council - yesterday or two days ago – calling for the extension  of the ceasefire and for all parties to [stop] the war and accept the ceasefire. The only violation - from the beginning - of every ceasefire [has come from] the Saudi airstrikes. We know that even during the Kuwait [talks], dozens of people were killed. [Also, ever] since Kuwait talks failed, eight entire families were killed. Today’s attack is as an example of the Saudi campaign against Yemeni people. Because when they fail to stop Houthis’ attacks on their army bases at the border - Houthis do not attack civilians inside Saudi Arabia - Saudis respond by killing Yemeni citizens.

They have targeted this water drilling in Arhab, north Sana'a. The number [of those killed] has reached 20 now and more people were injured. And most of the [victims] were killed by the second and the third strike. The Saudis conducted the first airstrike and they waited 10 to 15 minutes. When people felt safe and they felt the need to go and save whoever was still alive, the Saudis conducted another strike. This is not the first water drill that they have targeted. They have targeted dozens of them across Yemen. I'm just wondering what kind of coordination the United States, its drones and its satellites [are] giving to the Saudis. This war is a US war on Yemen; it’s a British war on Yemen. And they still keep selling weapons to Saudi [Arabia]. We heard Obama’s latest offer to sell over a billion dollars [worth of] weapons to Saudis two days ago. I think this will continue because the United States is making profits [out] of this war, [as is]  Britain.

Press TV: Many people say that the Saudis and even the Emiratis are suffering financially because they're spending so much money on this war in Yemen. How much longer can they keep going?

Al-Bukhaiti: They can keep as long as the Saudis can still pay for the weapons that they take. We've seen a similar story happening during the Revolution of the Islamic Republic of Iran. They sent Saddam Hussein to fight the Iranians to stop the Revolution. The same thing [is] happening now in Yemen. And the war between Iraq and Iran lasted for eight years. And I think [the one] in Yemen might last longer. The only thing that will stop [this war] is [for] the Yemeni army to take more serious steps along with the Houthis. They have to target Saudi land, and take Saudi cities. Because this is the only thing that will threaten the Saudi regime and will scare the United States. Because they still want the Saudi [rulers] to stay and the regime to continue to exist for a longer time. The thing is that [while] weapons are being sold to Saudi Arabia, the US House of Representative has passed a bill that allows American citizens to sue the Saudi [regime] for the crimes they've done and the [September 11] terrorist attacks they have funded. American [citizens] are going to be suing the Saudis inside America for their crimes, and at the same time, the United States’ government is giving weapons to the Saudi [rulers] to commit much worse crimes in Yemen – a thousand times worse than what happened on September 11. And at the same time, we've seen Obama visiting Laos and apologizing for the use of cluster bombs. He said [the US would] give Laos about 90 million dollars to clear all cluster bombs. While at the same time, they are selling hundreds of thousands of cluster bombs to [Saudi Arabia] to kill Yemenis. And I [wonder if] he expects Yemenis – in 10, 20 years time - to accept him or any other US president coming to Sana'a and apologizing for the use of cluster bombs? I think Yemenis will always remember that the United States is the enemy of Yemen. Saudis are the enemy of Yemen. Yemenis must take revenge [at them] because Saudis are the hand of the United States in the region. They are the source of terrorism. They are the source of all trouble that Muslims have among them.

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