“Death to America” Chanting Rebels Welcome US Statements
Yahya recently wrote a small article noting the slogan “Death to America” is a political one and, “We are not anti-American per se.” (??!!) The rebels, he said, while opposing US policies, aren’t REALLY calling for the death of all Americans and the destruction of the United States. It just sounds that way. Nifty. I hope none of their followers gets confused by all the nuance.
I do agree with the US position that the Houthis do not fit the classic definition of “terrorist” because they are not transnational and do not target civilians. And I’m glad to hear something from the US about the DIRE humanitarian situation in Sa’ada. A humanitarian truce is urgently requred to save lives by allowing food, fuel and medicine into the governorate of 700,000. The “mini-Darfur” some people call it, and I can see the analogy.
Yahya al-Houthi welcomed the American refusal to designate al-Houthis among terrorist movements.
Al-Houthi appreciated the position of the US embassy and the European Union and added that the dialogue is the only solution for this issue.
“Ali Abdullah Saleh has done his best to reflect an image that this war is a defense for America,” “but, he ignored that the Americans know democracy and they know that al-Houthi groups are just expressing their opinions and practicing their freedoms,” Abdul Malek added in a letter a copy of which was sent to Mareb Press.
Houthis started the war under the motto “Death to America, death for Israel.” They tried to convince ordinary people and the ordinary public that the political regime in this country is supported by the USA. Now, Yahya al-Houthi is appreciating the position of America.
An American official affirmed that the U.S. refused to designate al-Houthi followers among terrorist movements, saying that the designating is a complicated process based on strong evidence that an individual or a group is involved in terrorist acts.
