The Pentagon said Tuesday there were no plans to suspend US military assistance to Yemen but urged a swift transition of power amid a wave of anti-regime protests. Asked at a news conference if the US administration was considering withholding military aid due to unrest and violence against demonstrators, press secretary Geoff Morrell said: "As far as I know, it has not been."
"Obviously, we are monitoring the situation closely. It's fluid," Morrell said. Tensions are running high in Yemen after 19 anti-regime protesters were shot dead by police on Monday, with President Ali Abdullah Saleh facing demands to step down without delay. Washington has viewed the autocratic leader, in power since 1978, as a valuable ally in efforts to contain the threat posed by al Qaeda in the region. But the United States shifted its stance this week, urging Saleh to peacefully relinquish power.
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