US backs Bahrain despite its HR abuses

[Alamuti Lotus]

Source: PressTV

US President Barack Obama has once again expressed unwavering support for the Bahraini regime despite international condemnation of Manama's gross human rights violations.

In a meeting with Bahraini Crown Prince Sheikh Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa at the White House, Obama voiced his “strong support for the crown prince's ongoing efforts to initiate the national dialogue,” a White House statement said.

Earlier, US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton praised Al Khalifa efforts to deal with the ongoing revolution in Bahrain.

"Bahrain is a partner and a very important one to the United States and we are supportive of their national dialogue and the kinds of important work that the crown prince has been doing in his nation, and we look forward to it," Clinton said.

Meanwhile, Clinton stopped short of commenting on the Saudi-backed heavy-handed crackdown on anti-government protests in Bahrain over the past months.

Read more: http://www.presstv.ir/detail/183702.html

[Ramulux]

1. Insane

[TheWraith]

2. Right, because Iranian state-run media is the best source for human rights info!

:sarcasm:

[Alamuti Lotus]

3. Is that to dispute hypocritical support for the Khalifas/Sauds, or whining for the sake of it?

I offer my humblest and only slightly insincere apologies that it does not support the US establishment enough for your tastes. However, it's a safe bet that I will probably not try harder next time.

Pretend for a moment that this posting was a press release from the State Department (something I'd imagine you're more familiar and comfortable with); what are your thoughts on the subject? Let me throw out an easy prompt, do you see any issue with bombing Col.Qadhdhafi's government while providing words, weapons and training to HRH King Hamid bin `Isa al-Khalifa's?

[muriel_volestrangler]

5. Financial Times: Washington softens stance towards Bahrain

I reckon they're fairly objective, not being American, Bahraini or Iranian:

The US has reined in earlier criticism of Bahrain, as President Barack Obama welcomed the crown prince of the island kingdom to the White House.
...
But on Tuesday, as Mr Obama met Crown Price Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, Shia clerics accused the country’s police of violating religious freedoms by breaking up demonstrations at the weekend. In addition, the UN labour rights agency urged the country to give jobs back to at least 2,000 workers fired for striking in support of pro-democracy protests in February.
...
That contrasted with Mr Obama’s language during a set piece speech last month when he stressed that “mass arrests and brute force are at odds with the universal rights of Bahrain’s citizens” and said: “You can’t have a real dialogue when parts of the peaceful opposition are in jail”.

In softer language on Tuesday, the White House said Mr Obama “emphasised the importance of following through on the government’s commitment to ensuring that those responsible for human rights abuses will be held accountable”. He also called for the country to respect universal rights and embark on meaningful reform.

http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/40b903bc-9155-11e0-b1ea-00144feab49a.html#axzz1OfpLVRtC

Or AFP: http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5jKI-7VQvBHq1rxz_VicIoh1oHEuQ?docId=CNG.66821c9b349163ce3f74648fb66c95c9.11

[No Elephants]

7. Right, because none of us knows anythng about Bahrain except what's in the OP. Please.

[The Northerner]

4. K&R nt

[Javaman]

6. See, it's like this...

Some protests are more equal than others.

Saudi Arabia is shitting a brick because this is happening in their own backyard. They have to make a strong showing of support for the monarchy in Bahrain. If they don't, they know full well that their own citizens, will see what can be done with protesting out dated monarchies and start their own. (which actually have been going on but grossly under reported by everyone in the world except for Al Jazera and The Asian Times)

This little de facto citizen suppression via Bahrain made possible with Saudi, American built, F-16's, tells the Saudi citizens, "you try this, we will fuck you up".

So while they give the Saudi citizens the metaphorical slap on one cheek, they kiss the other with a suddenly huge investment in the people. Something on the order of several billion dollars of hush money. All to keep the natives from becoming restless.

The US on the other hand, must support the monarchy in Bahrain if we want to play nice with the Saudi's and continue to get our oil. If we support the protesters, then we, the US, is shit out of luck.

So while the Saudi's continue to pour munitions and money into Bahrain, the protests continue unabated. Especially now since the top royal dude in Bahrain had to leave due to bleeding on the brain. I believe that the actual reason is still being debated.

In the mean time, while the Monarchy pays off it's population with, better late than never, hush money, the actual people that are pissed off in Saudia Arabia are still pissed off. Of whom am I speaking? The foreign nationals who basically keep the country chugging along. The same ones who get paid shit or are put into indentured slavery trying to pay off fake transportation fees that brought them to Saudi Arabia in the first place by "employment agencies" offering pie in the sky dreams of good pay and a better life.

All is not as it appears on the land of oil. One day, someone is going to pull back the curtain and all hell will break loose.

[Arctic Dave]

8. Thy Name is Hypocrisy.

To all you supporters of the overthrow in Libya because of Human Rights violations what do you have to say about our fearless leaders now?


Now do you believe they have no clothes or will you continue to enable them?


Oops, my spelling is not the best before my coffee.