It sometimes occurs to journalists to be a little mutinous during a conversation with an Arab ruler. For example, a journalist may remind the ruler that life is but two days, one with you and one against you. Or the journalist may repeat the famous saying “If it [the office] had been occupied forever by others, it would not have come to you”. Or he can ask him whether he can bear the idea of seeing another man in the presidential palace, whether he ever thinks of retirement in moments of fatigue, or whether it is now time to leave behind official seals and devote oneself to writing memoirs. Experience tells us that rulers accept such questions, or may accept them, and that the problem lies with their advisers, who are most attached to the palace, and thus attempt to delay the inevitable. President Ali Abdullah Saleh was open-minded in receiving and also dodging this kind of questions. After signing the GCC Initiative, which is supposed to put the palace in the control of another man, many questions that I had repeatedly asked him about ruling Yemen and the date for stepping down came back to me, all published in Al-Hayat at the time. From an interview in 2006: Would a ruler in the Arab world retire? - Of course. Are there any precedents in Yemen or the Arab world? - Why should we not follow this process and prove the axiom that the ruler in Yemen or the Arab world does not peacefully relinquish power and retire? Is the West more cultured, civilized and worthy of this process? We in the Arab and Islamic world are perhaps more cultured and civilized. The Europeans have many disparities among them, with different languages and many issues. We the Arabs have one language, one religion and have a longstanding culture, so why do we relinquish this process and give the impression that rulers do not leave power voluntarily? Why do we prove the axiom that the ruler remains in his seat of power and does not leave it except to the grave or to his exile? Because this is probably the norm? - We must move away from this norm. I appreciate your open-mindedness and this is why I am asking this. Do you not believe that the title of former president is a difficult one for you? - Why would it be difficult? [It is] the best title I hear now in Lebanon, where presidents and prime ministers (after leaving office) become former presidents and prime ministers. Why can't we be like our brothers in Lebanon? Does it not bother you? - Not at all, on the contrary. From an interview in 2009: There is talk of a possible agreement over a new term for you? - I am committed to the Constitution. For my part, I will not nominate myself and will not accept to be nominated by any one. Why? - Enough is enough. The man has aged and his youth has been consumed, having put his skills to use for thirty years, if God grants us the wellbeing to finish our constitutional term. God willing, just like Yemen produced Ali Abdullah Saleh, it will produce many men who can replace Ali Abdullah Saleh. Is it not difficult for the president in the Arab world to become a former President? - You in Lebanon have former presidents. Former presidents are a good thing. This means that they have managed to achieve things […] before being called former presidents. Do you not have any attachment to power? - No, no. Is being president in Yemen a tiring affair? - I have always said that ruling in Yemen is as difficult as dancing over the heads of snakes. Did you expect, when you assumed office that you would remain in power for all this time? - When I assumed office, the Washington Post wrote that I would not last more than six months. And from an interview in 2010: You said last year that ruling Yemen is like dancing over the heads of snakes, so have these snakes woken up now? - If you want to change the name we can use serpents. So it is like dancing over the heads of serpents; are you not afraid of their bites? - The snakes have grown and they have become serpents. We and our people are able, God willing, to deal with them and tame them. We are not afraid. Your Excellency, how much do you enjoy being president? - This happens when a man overcomes major events and confronts the challenges. A president with no challenges cannot enjoy being president or leadership. Is it possible that we would one day come to Yemen and see you accept that there is another president in the palace? - (Laughs) A Yemeni president, of course. At the end of the meeting, President Saleh said that being in office prevented him from spending time with his children when they were young, and that he is now looking forward to play with his grandchildren. We used to ask questions like this before the Arab Spring erupted. Every time has its presidents and its questions. What is certain is that the title of former president, while perhaps not being enjoyable, is less cruel than being attached to the palace until becoming the late president.
