Posted on 03/26/2015 2:20:57 AM PDT by csvset
Pakistan examining Saudi request to join operation in Yemen: FO
Dawn Report | Mateen Haider — Updated Mar 26, 2015 02:02pm
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan said on Thursday it was examining Saudi Arabia's request to join the Gulf-led operation against Shia Houthi rebels in Yemen.
Adviser to Prime Minister on National Security and Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz confirmed that top Saudi officials had contacted the Pakistani leadership requesting it to join the Yemen operation. A decision has not yet been taken, Aziz said.
He further said that Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has summoned a high-level meeting this evening to consult his close aides over the matter.
Aziz added that a decision on whether to comply with the Saudi request will be announced at the conclusion of the meeting.
Earlier during the day, Foreign Office spokesperson Tasneem Aslam told reporters at the weekly media briefing in Islamabad that Saudi Arabia had contacted Pakistan on an emergency basis and extended the invitation to join the operation against Houthi rebels in Yemen.
She did not specify the details of the request made by Saudi Arabia to Pakistan but said that the matter was being examined.
Aslam said that the Pakistani mission in Yemen has been placed on alert and has been asked to keep in touch with the Pakistan community residing there.
"The Pakistani community has been asked to be ready for possible evacuation," she further said.
The Foreign Office spokesperson said that no decision has been made by Islamabad with regard to closing its mission in Sanaa.
Diplomatic sources told DawnNews that a top Saudi functionary has contacted the top leadership of Pakistan over telephone and sought Pakistan's cooperation in the offensive launched in Yemen.
Although Pakistani authorities have given a hint of cooperation, they told the Saudis that a final decision will be take after consulting the military.
Sources also said the Pakistan permanent mission to UN is also being briefed on this latest crisis.
Saudi Arabia and Gulf region allies launched military operations including air strikes in Yemen on Thursday, Saudi officials said, to counter Iran-allied forces besieging the southern city of Aden, where the US-supported Yemeni president had taken refuge.
Gulf broadcaster al-Arabiya TV reported that the kingdom was contributing as many as 150,000 troops and 100 warplanes to the operations and that allies Egypt, Jordan, Sudan and Pakistan were ready to take part in a ground offensive in Yemen.
Saudi Arabia's SPA state news agency later said that five Muslim countries including Pakistan, Egypt, Jordan, Morocco and Sudan want to participate in the Gulf-led military coalition against Shia Houthi rebels in Yemen.
They have “expressed desire to participate in the operation” against the rebels, which the kingdom dubbed “Firmness Storm”, the state news agency further said.
These latest developments follow a southward advance by Houthi militants, who are said to be backed by Iran, who took control of the capital Sanaa in September and seized the central city of Taiz at the weekend as they move closer to the new southern base of US-backed President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi.
Iran condemns assault
The Iranian Foreign Ministry condemned on Thursday the military operation by Saudi Arabia and its Gulf Arab allies in Yemen, state television reported.
It gave no further details.
Iran denies providing money and training to the Shia Houthi militia in Yemen, as claimed by some Western and Yemeni officials
Tasneem Aslam said that the Pakistani in Yemen mission has placed on an alert and has been asked to keep in touch with Pakistan community residing there— AFP/file
Yemen is a long ways away from Iran. How would Iran supply these guys in Yemen? If Egypt wants to take a look at ships transiting the Red Sea wouldn't that pose a problem for Iran?
They don’t have to go through the Red Sea. Iran to Persian Gulf, out the strait of Hormuz, around the Arabian Peninsula, right to Yemen and it’s ports, Not so far. If Saudi or other GCC try to stop Iranian ships at sea, thats a formal act of war...
Maybe we’ll see Iran and Pakistan nuking each other. Just like good muzzies do.
D’oh ! Too early. Of course they could go through the Persian Gulf. As far as stopping ships, hasn’t the US and various other navies been doing Visit Board Search Seizure missions for the past 10 years ? Are the rules different for the US ?
not sure. Maybe based on the UN sanctions?
Dear Leader is about to take care of that problem for the Mullahs.
” If Saudi or other GCC try to stop Iranian ships at sea, thats a formal act of war...”
Iran has an estimated 50-70 thousand mines. With just a dozen they could economically strangle Saudi Arabia. The Saudi objective in taking sown Assad in Syria was to get a pipeline to the Mediterranean. They don’t have it and thus are in far more danger than they would have been. This fire in the Middle East was lit by Obama and Iran has only two years in which to take over and reform the Caliphate. This will get ugly. Without foreign money flowing daily into SA they will collapse into yet another failed state.
Time to get in the wayback machine. Remember way back in 1979 when the Grand Mosque was taken over by "extremist insurgents" ?
The Saudi's sent in the French GIGN, (who had to convert to Islam prior to entering the mosque), yet the French say while the Saudi's took France's tactical advice, say it was ultimately Pakistani commandos that did the fighting.
What a cluster hump.
For reference.
On a side note, "rumors" that Americans had bombed the moque led to an attack on the US Embassy in Islamabad, Pakistan. It was burned to the ground, two American service members were killed.
So is Pakistan. The Pakistani "expeditionary force" would have even further to travel.
Perhaps the Paki’s could foment trouble for their Iranian neighbors? Looks like perhaps the region is in for a hot summer, (not related to global warming).
Saudi Arabia Military Amasses Near Yemen Border: U.S. Officials
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/03/24/saudi-arabia-military-yemen_n_6935702.html
March 24 (Reuters) - Saudi Arabia is moving heavy military equipment including artillery to areas near its border with Yemen, U.S. officials said on Tuesday, raising the risk that the Middle East’s top oil power will be drawn into the worsening Yemeni conflict.
The buildup follows a southward advance by Iranian-backed Houthi Shi’ite militants who took control of the capital Sanaa in September and seized the central city of Taiz at the weekend as they move closer to the new southern base of U.S.-supported President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi.
Not really that far with even small ships.
in this case I’m glad if dear leader gave the Iranis weapons to give the Houthis. Lets the Shias and Sunnis fight and kill each other
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