President Saleh: Fuss about Saddam’s capture ‘meaningless’

SANA’A, Dec15 (Saba) – President Ali Abdullah Saleh said Monday the media coverage of the capture of former Iraqi President Saddam Houssien was a politically motivated “fuss” that entertained whoever had dispute with Hussein’s ousted regime. Actually, Saddam Hussein and his government fell as early as “deployments of the coalition forces in preparation for the war on Iraq,” said President Saleh in remarks during a meeting with visiting Spanish reporters. “The whole world realized that the huge military force of the coalition would have toppled down the Iraqi regime,” he added. Saleh said, “We look forward to a halt of violence acts” referring to insurgency of the Iraqi resistance and counterinsurgency of coalition forces. However he noted the issue of insurgency can easily be tackled once “wisdom is used, the needs of the Iraqi people such as water, food and electricity are supplied.” “We look forward to that the U.S. Administrator Paul Bremer undertakes the responsibility of restoring security, stability and order,” he said. Saleh dismissed strongly that the alliance of Spain with the U.S. would ever make Yemen strain tied with it “despite the fact that the Spanish marines intercepted a Scud missiles shipment to Yemen” that was later allowed to continue heading for Yemen. Saleh used the opportunity to tell the visiting journalists that Yemen, thanks to improved security, is safe and especially conducive for tourism. AA/KM