What is Happening in Bahrain ?

Michael Hardner · January 1, 2013

http://therealnews.com/t2/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=31&Itemid=74&jumival=9408

We haven't heard much from them, even though Bahrain has been one of the countries linked to the 'Arab Spring' events. One thing that bothers me about mainstream media is that they don't cover international news until after something breaks.

Do any posters here follow these events ?

Those of you who talk about conspiracy and bring up topics that are not discussed - here's one right in front of us happening now. Take this one back to the conspiracy forums to discuss.

From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_Bahraini_uprising

In September, twenty Bahraini medical professionals who had been arrested for treating protesters at the Salminaya Medical Center were handed jail terms of up to twenty years on charges of anti-government activity.^[225] The international community immediately denounced the sentences, saying that they demonstrated a disregard for human rights and violated the principle of medical neutrality.^[226]

In October, the Bahraini government nullified the convictions and scheduled retrials in civilian court, which are ongoing.^[227] Despite promises of greater transparency, the Bahraini government has denied several human rights activists access to the trial, including Rick Sollom, Deputy Director of Physicians for Human Rights.^[228]

eyeball · January 1, 2013

What is Happening in Bahrain ?

What's a Bahrain?

Oh...right, just another middle-eastern blood-soaked western-backed dictatorship blowing up in the world's face.

Hey look, there goes another Kardashian!

GostHacked · January 2, 2013

The US has a naval base in Bahrain housing the 5th fleet in Manama Bahrain.. The US used Saudi Arabia to help put down the Arab Spring uprising in Bahrain. Can't host a base in an unstable country and expect a certain level of security.

Another concern it raises is the Arab Spring was not only promoted, but assisted in many ways .in some countries, and put down in others, like Bahrain. It has been kind of discussed in the Arab Spring thread.

I guess sentencing the doctors is a way to give the rest a message, don't step out of line. We should know that Bahrain is also about as democratic as Saudi Arabia. And if that keeps things stable enough then the USA has a pretty safe haven to operate and project from. It's strategically opposed to Iran as well.

jbg · January 2, 2013

The US has a naval base in Bahrain housing the 5th fleet in Manama Bahrain.. The US used Saudi Arabia to help put down the Arab Spring uprising in Bahrain. Can't host a base in an unstable country and expect a certain level of security.

There is only one stable Middle East country; Israel. If push comes to shove the U.S. could set up bases there, either openly or covertly.

The problem is that other countries that lack diplomatic ties to Israel, including I believe Canada, don't have that option.

Edited January 2, 2013 by jbg

WIP · January 2, 2013

The US has a naval base in Bahrain housing the 5th fleet in Manama Bahrain.. The US used Saudi Arabia to help put down the Arab Spring uprising in Bahrain. Can't host a base in an unstable country and expect a certain level of security.

Another concern it raises is the Arab Spring was not only promoted, but assisted in many ways .in some countries, and put down in others, like Bahrain. It has been kind of discussed in the Arab Spring thread.

It's all about that naval base and control of the oil going through the Gulf. But, the problem here for U.S. foreign policy is what legitimacy does the U.S. have, giving lectures on human rights, when they are willing to look the other way and deflect attention from dictators who are needed to carry out their objectives?

I guess sentencing the doctors is a way to give the rest a message, don't step out of line. We should know that Bahrain is also about as democratic as Saudi Arabia. And if that keeps things stable enough then the USA has a pretty safe haven to operate and project from. It's strategically opposed to Iran as well.

It's also an unprecedented violation of international law; yet the U.S. did nothing when an ally started arresting doctors and jailing them for treating patients in hospitals. But the real question is whether the non-action against the Bahrain dictatorship is an indication that everything is being set up for a regional war between Sunni and Shia nations?

Edited January 2, 2013 by WIP

GostHacked · January 2, 2013

It's all about that naval base and control of the oil going through the Gulf. But, the problem here for U.S. foreign policy is what legitimacy does the U.S. have, giving lectures on human rights, when they are willing to look the other way and deflect attention from dictators who are needed to carry out their objectives?

Anyone with at least a bit of common sense about them sees the hypocrisy of their words compared to their actions. And you are correct, it is about controlling the oil resources in the area.

It's also an unprecedented violation of international law; yet the U.S. did nothing when an ally started arresting doctors and jailing them for treating patients in hospitals. But the real question is whether the non-action against the Bahrain dictatorship is an indication that everything is being set up for a regional war between Sunni and Shia nations?

I guess it's obvious that the US does not really care about human rights or international law, due to their inconsistency of support for one dictator over another. Libya had no fly zones and British SAS on the ground. All to get rid of Gaddafi. But why not Bahrain? If these are legitimate movements in those countries, then why are they not allowed to flourish in one area and not in another? it's a case of 'do-as-i-say-and-not-as-i-do'.

NATO's backing of the Free Syrian Army, to bring down Assad is another example of the hypocrisy. Using Turkey as a staging base for the rebels doing operations inside Syria. NATO has taken sides here.

GostHacked · January 2, 2013

There is only one stable Middle East country; Israel. If push comes to shove the U.S. could set up bases there, either openly or covertly.

Strategically it is not as important as having a naval base in Bahrain to immediately oppose Iran.

Argus · January 2, 2013

I guess it's obvious that the US does not really care about human rights or international law, due to their inconsistency of support for one dictator over another. Libya had no fly zones and British SAS on the ground. All to get rid of Gaddafi. But why not Bahrain? If these are legitimate movements in those countries, then why are they not allowed to flourish in one area and not in another? it's a case of 'do-as-i-say-and-not-as-i-do'.

I think the US does reflexively care about human rights and democracy. But there is a certain amount of pragmatism involved here as well.

The "Arab Spring" is still in the process of playing out but there is a genuine worry that instead of freedom all people are going to get is more dictatorship, only of the religious, anti-American, terrorist supporting variety. Perhaps the US felt, in this little flyspeck country, Iran's influence would ensure that happened, and they couldn't afford that.