There have been a number of major developments in Yemen as protests continue against the country’s longtime President Ali Abudullah Saleh, a close ally of the United States. Earlier today, three top Yemeni army generals defected and declared their support for the protest movement. The dissident generals have now deployed army units to protect the protesters. The announcement came days after Yemeni forces killed 45 protesters and wounded 350 others. Meanwhile, the mayor of the Yemeni city of Aden and Yemen’s ambassador to the United Nations have also resigned to protest the killings. Human Rights Watch has called on the Obama administration to immediately suspend military aid to Yemen. Over the past five years, the United States has provided more than $300 million in military and security aid to Yemen.