On another (gardening) note - wouldn't you know it. The garden is all planted, as are the flower beds. The hanging baskets are, well, hanging and the flowers pots on the deck are blooming. Now...the snow level is dropping, alot, tomorrow night. Arrrggg.
Yemen's president appeared on state television on Saturday saying a rebel leader had agreed to renounce armed dissent in return for a pardon.
President Ali Abdullah Saleh was shown addressing a group of clerics and parliamentary figures with a piece of paper he said carried a commitment from Shaikh Badr al-Din al-Huthi, leader of the Shia sect battling government forces, confirming reports of such a deal.
Government officials claim al-Huthi's group is trying to install Shia Muslim clerical rule and preaches violence against the United States and Israel. The group is not linked to al-Qaida.
Saleh talked of a "conspiracy against the republican system" with outside backing, but did not elaborate.
Fighting first broke out last year in the mountainous north of the impoverished country at the tip of the Arabian Peninsula, during which al-Huthi's son Husain was killed. A new round of clashes began in March. Saleh did not say if fighting was over.
Casualties, material loss
Interior Minister Rashad al-Alimi told the meeting a total of 525 people had died and 2708 been wounded, comprising civilians and security forces. The authorities said at least 200 rebels died last year, but have not given a figure for this year's fighting.
Planning Minister Ahmad Sufan cited direct material losses of 52 billion Yemeni riyals ($274 million).
Yemen said this week it had arrested 21 supporters of al-Huthi on suspicion of hurling grenades at troops and planning to kill officials.
http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/36E3FC09-348A-486B-BB07-149A2870ED16.htm
Re Posner, I don't think anything about him one way or the other. When Daniel Pipes though, discusses the topic; I'm open to reading what he has to say. The same goes for Steve Emerson, Robert Spencer, Aaron Weisburd, Joseph Farah, Reuven Paz.....
Hey, snow and flowers -- I know what you mean. The first 2 years here I planted too early and the snow killed some of the plants.
Bad storm today, so after church and Sunday brunch; I took my spring catalogs and tour books out and looked at lots of pictures. Perked me
right up.