The Obama administration has reportedly decided in principle to allow Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh to enter the United States, even though his forces have killed hundreds of anti-government protesters over the past year. According to the New York Times, Saleh could arrive in New York as soon as this week for medical treatment for problems stemming from a near-fatal bomb blast in June at his presidential complex. A longtime U.S. ally, Saleh has led Yemen since 1978, but recently agreed to relinquish office by February. The news comes just days after Yemeni security forces opened fire on protesters in the Yemeni capital of Sana’a Saturday, killing at least nine protesters. Protesters condemned President Saleh.

Areej Al-Khawlani, protester: “What has forced us to take to the streets in this protest is the negligence of the politicians. They have turned our revolution into a crisis. They don’t want to recognize our revolution. We haven’t come out because we want to share the power with the regime. We want the whole regime to be completely overthrown.”