The Battle of Bahrain

The Battle of Bahrain

original.antiwar.com

Of the new revolutionary eruptions, post-Egypt, perhaps the most problematic for Washington is the upsurge in Bahrain, where a Sunni king has long ruled over his predominantly Shi’ite subjects. King Hamad is a corrupt tyrant whose disregard for basic human rights was underscored by the actions of his security forces in storming a protest encampment in the capital city’s main square, murdering 5 protesters in a surprise assault in the dead of night, and wounding over 200. There are indications that at least some of the assailants were Saudis. Bahrain, a small island kingdom in the Persian G

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Related News Links:
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Another hot spot that is perhaps coming to a rapid boil. As with Libya, Djibouli, and Kuwait, government forces are being less restrained then they may have been in Egypt.



Bahrain: The Social Roots of Revolt Against Another US Ally

But that reputation for being a cutting-edge capitalist hub – Bahrain is the only country in the Gulf region to have signed a free trade agreement with the US – comes at a heavy social and ecological cost. And it’s a cost that seems to have pushed a large section of the population too far, to the point where they are emulating the protests in Tunisia, Egypt and other parts of the Arab world to demand long-overdue democratic rights.

I'm sure our State Department is tweeting away to the people there!

Bahrain's crown prince is calling for 'dialogue' after bloody protests there today.

Nada Alwadi, reporting for USA TODAY in Bahrain, reports that the crown prince, speaking on TV, ordered the immediate removal of armed forces from Bahrain's roads in wake of the shooting and says "both parties are wrong and I consider this a betrayal to the country." See additional news link.

original.antiwar.com
(visit the link for the full news article)

reply to post by ~Lucidity


I suppose it all depends on who you know. I have a friend from Bahrain. He lives here in the U.S., but he still gets a yearly stipend from Bahrain ($60k or $90k, I can't remember, but it is substantial.) He gets free Healthcare in Bahrain, free Education in Bahrain, and a living stipend from the government of Bahrain from oil revenues, so he has absolutely no complaints!

Bahrain has become the playground for the ultra-rich and elites.

I don't know what will come of all this turmoil and revolutionary spirit, but I am honestly very surprised to see it hit Bahrain so quickly.

Too bad, Bahrain has been a playground for the rich elite Westerners for a long time. Guess the populace living in abject poverty there have had enough. Libyan leader Gaddafi seems to rightly worried, he's been bending over backwards to placate growing unrest in his country. What's amazing is to see those kingdoms we consider our allies (Egypt, Bahrain, Saudis, etc.) are the ones falling to political revolt (or soon will be).

dbl post

reply to post by getreadyalready

That's exactly what I was saying in the other thread about Kuwait. Some of this isn't making any sense. During the height of the Egyptian uprising, it was said that Kuwait was actually paying people not to riot...er...protest.

At least four people were killed Thursday after riot police used buckshot, tear gas and clubs to drive protesters from a main square in Bahrain's capital Manama, where they had been been demanding political change in the tiny kingdom. Kristof said in a series of Twitter messagesthat the Bahrain government had ordered ambulances to stop going out, citing a hospital. He said 10 ambulance paramedics had been attacked by Bahrain police. "I interviewed them, saw their injuries," he wrote."Nurse told me she saw handcuffed prisoner beaten by police, then executed with gun," Kristoff added.He said that an ambulance driver had said a Saudi Arabian army officer "held gun to his head" and threatened to kill him if he helped the injured.Kristoff also reported that the hospital had seen more than

LINK FROM SNIP


Its worse down there than what you describe OP. Its basically a police state down there right now. The military and police are beating and killing people.

reply to post by Artorius

Wow...7 dead here. Clamped down now. Same as in Libya (up to 61 dead) and Kuwait then. Not quite as calm as Egypt but also more control from the forces.

Its amazing how quickly this " revolution " is spreading? Though i dont always see eye to eye with you Lucid on other topics, as well as you getreadyalready, i appreciate your continued efforts in disclosing news, much like this thread! S&F

reply to post by Whereweheaded

Amazing how it keeps ebbing and flaring too. There are a lot of forces at work here, aren't there?

Here's another video...Bahrain, Libya, and Yemen.

reply to post by ~Lucidity


It certainly makes one wonder, if the NWO hype, isn't so much " hype " anymore. Is it possible that this orchestrated?

reply to post by Whereweheaded

I have a theory, of course. But I'm still trying to wrap my head around this revolution stuff to see how it all ties in.

One of the linchpins in my theory is the relationship between the people who run this current administration and Israel. They are none too happy with Israel (that may be starting to prove itself) because Israel is reluctant to make real progress toward peace and wants Iran snuffed out, preferably by us, at all costs. This administration and its masters do not want us embroiled in any more wars in the Middle East, not with Iran, not with anyone. I believe they want the leaders in the ME to get a grip on their region themselves. (Contrast this with the last administration.) It's playing out so far, and I think all this upheaval in the ME this might all be related but don't quite see how yet. And while my gut says this is being orchestrated, it's still hard right now to see 'how they are doing it.

reply to post by ~Lucidity


I pondered the thought as well, in regards to how the uprisings could be orchestrated. It just seems to coincidental. But how to plan such an event? The upper echelons of power are indeed not to happy with Israel, I think ( in theory of course ) that many in the upper seats don't agree with Israel's actions, much less Israel crying foul every time they don't get their way. But to what ends? What in the end could be possibly gained, besides removing the tyrannical dictators? Who would govern? What powers would absorb the riches? It wouldn't be just the US? There were have to be many other powers involved. Thats my take.

Another Few Updates:

Bahraini Military opens machinegun fire on protesters trying to reach hospital

Vicious crackdown in Bahrain

reply to post by Whereweheaded

To get those answers, all we can do is watch carefully and wait. Eventually things do become clearer. But most days, I'm sure we'll never know everything that goes on. Hell, we may not even want to. A lot of days, I read this board and thing to myself, okay, so we figure it all out—the whos and the whys. Then what?

reply to post by ~Lucidity


Exactly! Where do we go from there? So the answers are now presented, then what? Do the voices get heard, or fall on deaf ears? Wait and see my friend..wait and see~

reply to post by Whereweheaded

Well like we were saying in the other thread—maybe, even temporarily, we have to support the lesser evil to gain the greatest good—to move us further along to where we want to get. After all, isn't that what they do?

Full moon bloody friday...

Bloody Friday in Bahrain, Libya and Yemen With Scores Dead

Blood flowed the in the streets of Libya, Bahrain and Yemen Friday as a wave of protest and revolt continued to rock the Arab world.

"Scores" have been killed in Libya as thousands of protesters defied a government clamp down Friday and fought pitched battles with security forces in several Libyan cities.

Now, Obama warns Bahrain, Libya and Yemen

I am deeply concerned by reports of violence in Bahrain, Libya and Yemen.

The United States condemns the use of violence by governments against peaceful protesters in those countries and wherever else it may occur. We express our condolences to the family and friends of those who have been killed during the demonstrations.

Wherever they are, people have certain universal rights including the right to peaceful assembly.

The United States urges the governments of Bahrain, Libya and Yemen to show restraint in responding to peaceful protests, and to respect the rights of their people.

Months before brutal attacks in Bahrain, U.S. praised the ally's progress

Eyewitness: Carnage in Bahrain as the Military Opens Fire

This is a battlefield," says Dr. Umm Haicham, who asked to be named by her honorific rather than her name because she no longer trusts her government. "No one wants to see this. This is an overreaction. The protesters want simple things. They are asking for what the King has already offered."

Carnage.

reply to post by ~Lucidity


One thing I dont understand, is that the current administration seems to think that all other countries have embraced a constitution that enables the people freedom of speech, and the right to protest. But i don't think many of the countries even have a constitution, much less freedom to assemble. Kinda of a oxymoron scenario?