SINCE I was born on this land, I have been extremely proud of my country. Today, I am more proud because our young pilots are flying toward the realms of dignity and honor. They are putting the Kingdom in the place it deserves among its sister Arab countries, the region and the world at large. In 2009, the Houthi rebels attempted to tamper with the Kingdom's security. They began military skirmishes along the southern border region and were immediately silenced. The deposed leader Ali Abdullah Saleh, who is constantly changing colors, did not ally with the Houhtis at the time but he has now after being removed from power. The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) initiative on Yemen, orchestrated by Saudi Arabia, saved Saleh's neck and protected him from a legal trial which his own people had demanded. The Kingdom also provided him with medical treatment for the severe burns he had suffered when the mosque in his palace, where he was praying, was bombed. After allying with the Iranian-backed Houthis, he turned his back on the legitimate government and the president he himself had chosen to replace him. Forces loyal to him then started attacking Yemeni towns and cities in what had become an evil alliance with the Houthis. Saleh did not heed the Arab, regional or international calls to detach himself from the Houthis and to stop the bloodshed in Yemen. He mistakenly believed that the Saudi army was nothing more than a few individuals from the Border Guard. He also erroneously interpreted the Kingdom's tolerance and patience as cowardice. He was in a state of delirium and believed the Kingdom was hesitant to attack him or his allies until he was surprised by Operation Decisive Storm which is being led by gallant young men from the Saudi Royal Air Force. These courageous pilots flew about 100 warplanes and shelled their targets with the precision of a surgeon's scalpel. When Saleh realized that he was completely mistaken about the strength of the Saudi armed forces, he came back looking for dialogue, but he did not realize that the dialogue he is looking for has turned into a dialogue of airstrikes which will continue until he, his loyal forces, his tribe and his Houthi allies give up their arms to the legitimate government and to its regular armed forces. Saleh held the wrong notion that the Kingdom could not defend itself without the help of US as was the case during the first Gulf War. He also believed that the US, under the Obama administration, is too scared to enter into a war even if it is a just and a fair one. It is obvious that Saleh failed to realize that during the 25 years that have passed since the Gulf War, a generation of young, courageous and daring Saudi fighters who are highly educated and cultured are ready to defend the Kingdom. The government has provided these young fighters with extensive training and supplied them with the most advanced weaponry in the world. These young Saudi men are now capable of defending their country and its people against any aggression. My country said it bluntly that whoever dared to come close to the Yemeni seaports would be shelled. It is taking this stance because Yemen is a neighbor and a sister country whose people are our brothers and friends. The Kingdom would never accept to see this neighbor under Persian hegemony. It would not tolerate or keep silent on Iran's machinations in Yemen. Saleh must have now realized that fighters from the Saudi Royal Air Force are hitting their targets with accuracy and that the Saudi Naval Forces are not only guarding Yemeni seaports but were also able to evacuate the diplomatic missions of their country, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar from Aden where they were besieged. He should also meditate on the fact that the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman has obtained the support of Arab leaders during their recent summit in Sharm El-Sheikh. The summit issued directives directly supporting any action that will restore peace and stability to Yemen. By its crystal-clear resolutions, the summit has eliminated the path for Saleh and the Houthis to implement their conspiracy against Yemen. Saleh is now calling for a stop to the air raids and wants to go back to the negotiation table by promising that neither he nor his family members will run in any elections that are held. It is too late for Saleh. The wheel of history will not reel back. The summit's resolutions are clear. He should recognize the legitimacy of President Abdrabbu Mansour Hadi, stop his war, give back the arms he and the Houthis have acquired or confiscated before mentioning any talk of negotiations.
