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    Back to To the Point

    To the Point

    Western Diplomats Close Embassies, Scramble to Leave Yemen

    Yemen has long been a major US ally against al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, regarded as a real threat to America's national security. Now Houthi rebels have deposed the friendly regime and the US has closed its embassy in Sanaa — although the New York Times reports that a Houthi leader is reaching out.

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    By Warren Olney • Feb 11, 2015 • 1 min read

    Yemen has long been a major US ally against al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, regarded as a real threat to America's national security. Now Houthi rebels have deposed the friendly regime and the US has closed its embassy in Sanaa — although the New York Times reports that a Houthi leader is reaching out. US officials burned tens of thousands of documents last night before closing the embassy. Rebel Houthis, who've taken control, seized the weapons of departing Marines.

    We hear more from Rod Nordland, who is in Sanaa for the New York Times, and Adam Baron, a visiting fellow at the European Council on Foreign Relations in London, who was a reporter in Yemen from 2011 until last year.

    The full episode

    3 of 3
    Oil, Gas and Wind on America's Atlantic Coastline
    1. 1:47Obama Makes Formal War Authorization Request against ISIS
    2. 8:38In the Atlantic Ocean, Is It Both Oil and Wind?
    3. 42:57Western Diplomats Close Embassies, Scramble to Leave YemenYou’re reading this
    • https://images.ctfassets.net/2658fe8gbo8o/AvYox6VuEgcxpd20Xo9d3/769bca4fbf97bf022190f4813812c1e2/new-default.jpg?h=250

      Warren Olney

      former KCRW broadcaster

    • KCRW placeholder

      Andrea Brody

      Senior Producer, KCRW's Life Examined and To the Point podcast

    • KCRW placeholder

      Claire Martin

      Producer, To the Point/Which Way LA?

    • https://images.ctfassets.net/2658fe8gbo8o/AvYox6VuEgcxpd20Xo9d3/769bca4fbf97bf022190f4813812c1e2/new-default.jpg?h=250

      Benjamin Gottlieb

      Reporter, Fill-in Host

    • KCRW placeholder

      Rod Nordland

      New York Times

    • KCRW placeholder

      Adam Baron

      European Council on Foreign Relations

      NewsNationalPolitics

    The full episode

    3 of 3
    Oil, Gas and Wind on America's Atlantic Coastline
    1. 1:47Obama Makes Formal War Authorization Request against ISIS
    2. 8:38In the Atlantic Ocean, Is It Both Oil and Wind?
    3. 42:57Western Diplomats Close Embassies, Scramble to Leave YemenYou’re reading this
    Back to To the Point