U.S. considers letting Saleh into country

HONOLULU, Dec. 26 (UPI) -- The Obama administration is considering whether to allow Yemen's former president into the United States to receive medical treatment, The Washington Post said.

Ali Abdullah Saleh ended 33 years as Yemen's leader when he acceded to opposition forces and turned over power to his vice president Friday.

An unidentified senior U.S. official told the Post Saleh's office contacted the U.S. Embassy in Sanaa seeking permission for Saleh to be treated in the United States for wounds suffered in a June terrorist attack against the presidential palace. The official said medical treatment would be the only reason Saleh would be allowed into the United States.

However, the Post said, letting Saleh into the United States, following his deadly crackdown on Yemeni protesters, could carry political ramifications for President Obama.

U.S. counterterrorism chief John Brennan called Yemeni Vice President Abdo Rabbo Mansour al-Hadi Sunday to request that Yemeni security forces exercise "maximum restraint" in dealing with the demonstrators, White House deputy press secretary Josh Earnest said.

Brennan "called upon all sides to refrain from provocative acts that could spur further violence," Earnest said. "Hadi said that he has initiated an investigation into the deaths and injuries that occurred and that he would do his utmost to prevent further bloodshed."