{"id":1848,"date":"2011-06-13T12:55:41","date_gmt":"2011-06-13T19:55:41","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.crookedbough.com\/?p=1848"},"modified":"2011-06-13T12:55:41","modified_gmt":"2011-06-13T19:55:41","slug":"bahrain-updates-18-baby-you-can-drive-my-car","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.crookedbough.com\/?p=1848","title":{"rendered":"Bahrain Updates #18: Baby you can drive my car…."},"content":{"rendered":"

From: \tColin S. Cavell, Ph.D.
\nSubject: \tBahrain Updates #18: Baby you can drive my car….
\nDate: \t06\/11\/2011 01:40:22 AM
\n<\/p>\n

\n
\n

Too often we honor swagger and bluster and the wielders of force; too often we excuse those who are willing to build their own lives on the shattered dreams of others. Some Americans who preach nonviolence abroad fail to practice it here at home. Some who accuse others of inciting riots have by their own conduct invited them.<\/span><\/p>\n

Some look for scapegoats, others look for conspiracies, but this much is clear: violence breeds violence, repression brings retaliation, and only a cleaning of our whole society can remove this sickness from our soul.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2014(Robert F. Kennedy 1925-1968)<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
Dear Folks,<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
Strange that the fate of a country is reflected in the cancellation of a car race. Yet that is exactly what is taking place, for as the British chief of the Formula One Group, Bernie Ecclestone, lamented on Wednesday, June 8th, the Bahrain Grand Prix will not be held in Bahrain this year, for the driving teams refused to go along with a decision made just five days prior by the body which governs the sport. And why did the Formula One governing body initially decide to go ahead with the race in Bahrain amidst a brutal crackdown over the past two months against citizenry calling for democracy? Well, we don't exactly know, but as Ecclestone was quoted as saying: "Nothing to do with money at all. Nothing, in any shape or form," the 80-year-old told Reuters Television.<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
This is an interesting twist to observers who have spent time in Bahrain over the past several years, as the monarchy placed great value on building the Formula One racetrack out in the Sakhir desert just opposite the University of Bahrain and near the Sakhir Air Base. Students and professors would often complain about the noise emanating from the Bahrain International Circuit, or "BIC" as it is popularly known, and some sound filters were later added to muffle the loud buzz of the racing engines though everyone could hear when racing season was approaching as advance teams and local afficionados would bring their fastest and jazziest cars to the track to compete or just show off. Each spring, advertisements would appear months in advance all along the Shaikh Isa Bin Salman Highway announcing the upcoming Formula One Grand Prix racing days and encouraging fans to buy their tickets now. On campus, students would vie with each other to obtain a limited number of free tickets from the UOB Administration while professors would rework their course syllabi around the racing dates. For University of Bahrain students and staff, it meant one day off from school, as the three-day event would fall on at least one school day, and that day was always declared a holiday by the King. <\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
The BIC and its sleek race cars and international driving teams represent a small slice of modernity in the island kingdom, and to not be able to go forward with the Bahrain Grand Prix is indeed a sign of a political impasse. The regime would like the world to believe that all is fine in the Kingdom and that the events that began in February are now over and done with. In some ways they are correct, as most of my in-country reports have dissipated to a trickle, with tales of fear and dread from those brave enough to send out one last email before they go silent. Yes, the regime has succeeded quite handily so far in stifling the main protests through a campaign of arrests, torture, detention, disappearances, harassment, firings, kangaroo trials, murder, surveillance, etc. But force and intimidation will not have the same stifling effect on the hearts of the opposition in Bahrain; indeed, many will harden, and some will begin to question the utility of peaceful protests down the road. Repression may end a particular unwanted behavior for a time, but desire will find an outlet somehow and in some other way. Close off democratic channels in modern society and you are certain to generate an even greater subsequent explosion.<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
Meanwhile, on Tuesday, June 7th, Washington officialdom, including President Barack Obama and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, met with Bahrain's Crown Prince, Salman bin Hamad Al-Khalifa, to let him know, presumably, that while Washington will continue to preach non-violence to the Kingdom, no further repercussions will be forthcoming, at least not until after the 2012 elections. Obama and his advisors believe that they will be able to neutralize the Gulf monarchs with–as one of my former Bahraini students used to say–"sweet lies". But, as indicated in a previous missive, i.e. Bahrain Updates #16, Obama has already rattled the autocratic club in the Middle East infuriating them (pardon the pun) royally! As I stated then and repeat again here:<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\n

So, this brings us back to my earlier claim that the world ended on Thursday, May 19th, for history will record that date as the beginning of the end of the long-standing cordial relationship between the United States and the Gulf Kingdoms. <\/span>Faced with an existential battle, Bahrain and the other Gulf Kingdoms will pour every spare dinar, dirham, riyal, etc. of oil wealth into undermining the Obama Administration in the upcoming 2012 election and backing the Republican Party to the hilt. <\/span>Capitulation by Obama is not an option. <\/span>Concession to democratic rule by Gulf monarchs is out of the question. <\/span>Who will be left standing will write the history.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Restructuring the Middle East will be one of Obama's lasting legacies, and the autocratic regimes in the region, rightly or wrongly, see Washington's hand behind the wave of unrest which threatens to undermine their stability. Appeasement, therefore, at this point is a foolish policy for Obama's handlers to follow. Already, retaliation against American officials in Bahrain has begun in earnest. In late May, State Department human rights officer Ludovic Hood, who had worked at the US Embassy in Bahrain was forced to leave the country amidst a targeted campaign against him including anti-Semitic slurs and the publishing of his home address on a web site. Then, on June 2, Bahraini television journalist Sawsan Al Shaer berated US Deputy Chief of Mission Stephanie Williams on Bahrain TV for nearly an hour and a half demanding to know what, if anything, did the Bahraini government do wrong, while Ms. Williams merely reiterated time and again to each charge that the US Government simply wants both sides to engage peacefully. <\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
The Gulf monarchs govern regimes that do not understand the language of peaceful negotiations. For them, either you are with them or against them. This is what Barack's handlers do not understand. The US may want to pursue gradual change in the Gulf region–given our dependence on Saudi oil–but compromise is characteristic of democracies. With autocracies, it is either my way or the highway. Compromise or middle ground solutions are seen as weakness and are to be avoided at all cost. The mentality of monarchy is based on mendacity; indeed, how else can you maintain an hereditary regime for over 200 years? Thus while sweet lies will be traded back and forth between the Obama Administration and the Gulf monarchs over the next period, behind the scenes one can be sure that planning to unseat the other is in full play.<\/div>\n
regards,<\/p>\n

csc<\/p>\n

Latest Updates:
<\/u><\/strong>
For those following developments in Bahrain closely, I refer you all to The Crooked Bough<\/a> website for timely updates on the political situation in the Kingdom. As well, The Crooked Bough is now acting as a repository of all prior Bahrain Updates which are accessible at: http:\/\/www.crookedbough.com\/?page_id=1154<\/a>. <\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
In addition, I urge you all to sign up to The Pearl Roundabout.org<\/a> as they are sending the most timely updates as events unfold in Bahrain and are doing a superb job.<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
And, of course, The Bahrain Center for Human Rights<\/a> is a mainstay of the struggle, and their regular updates are accurate and reliable.<\/p>\n

About the author:<\/p>\n

<\/u><\/strong>
Until February 15th of this year, I was an Assistant Professor teaching in the American Studies Center at the University of Bahrain. I submitted my resignation following the Fall semester at the end of January, as my wife, a Moroccan national, was granted an immigrant visa to the US by the State Department with the proviso that we be residing within the USA by April 1, 2011. Little did we know in January, when I submitted my resignation, that we would be in a race for time before we could leave, as the Arab rebellions were sweeping from Tunisia to Egypt to Yemen and into Bahrain and beyond. We left Bahrain on February 25th, the day of the largest demonstrations in Bahraini history, and have since been residing in Seattle, Washington.<\/p>\n

Background on Bahrain:
<\/u><\/strong>
On February 14, 2011, the citizenry of Bahrain rose up in opposition to the Al Khalifa monarchy and demanded democratic reforms. Their voices were met with stiff resistance from the autocratic regime which has been in power for over 200 years now. Unbowed, the citizenry took to the Pearl Roundabout in downtown Manama with some advocating for a constitutional monarchy and others a democratic republic. In response, the regime unleashed a reign of terror down on the protesters. Meanwhile, the US was directing its focus on Libya and getting through the United Nations a resolution for a no-fly zone over that country, which passed on Thursday, March 17th. One week prior, on Friday, March 11th, US Defense Secretary Robert Gates flew to Bahrain and met with the King and the Crown Prince, and on Monday, March 14th, approximately 2000 to 3000 Saudi Arabian and Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) tanks and troops rolled across the causeway from Saudi Arabia into Bahrain to crush the opposition. The next day, March 15th, King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa issued Royal Decree No. 18 for the year 2011, declaring a three-month "State of National Safety". The Bahrain Defence Forces (BDF) subsequently began a systematic crackdown on anyone who was suspected of opposing the monarchy and calling for democracy. On March 18th, the BDF tore down the Pearl Monument, known to locals as either "Lulu" or "the GCC Monument" and to the international press as "Pearl Square" due to its similarity to Tahrir Square in Cairo, Egypt where protesters had gathered. The regime's crackdown is an attempt to wipe away the memory of the 2011 Bahraini Democratic Spring from the popular mindset, and they are sparing nothing to root out and crush, using force, intimidation, torture, and murder, any further resistance. The silence from most of the mainstream media in America is deafening.<\/p>\n

The fact that the US Fifth Fleet is based in Bahrain and the fact that the US is completely dependent on and addicted to Saudi-monarchy oil–i.e. oil doled out by a corrupt and sclerotic regime, and that both regimes (i.e. the Al Sauds and the Al Khalifas)–indeed all GCC regimes–in turn, are kept in power by US guns, makes all the difference–for now at least. The US continues supporting the Al-Khalifa monarchy, putting its oil interests ahead of its avowed democratic principles. From all accounts, the beating into submission as well as the subsequent bloodbath continues in earnest. For US citizens, it is another lost opportunity… But with your help and voices, we can eventually rectify our country's policy in this regard and realign it with our country's avowed democratic principles.<\/p>\n

US interests in the long term will ultimately be served by supporting democratic elements and, eventually, democratic regimes in the Middle East North Africa (MENA) region. Does that mean we should overthrow existing governments? No, but it does mean that we should not be arming, financially supporting, and enabling corrupt regimes to slaughter opposition forces advocating for democratic rights in their countries, and then remaining silent while it happens. Sycophancy in the service of autocratic rulers with decidedly undemocratic ethos is degrading and demeaning. Such a stance is an affront to humanity. Putting off the goal of aligning ourselves with democratic elements for short-term advantage will have negative repercussions not only on current US foreign policy but, as well, on US domestic policy, as millions of petro-dollars will find their way back into US politics attempting to undermine our democracy here at home. While countering theocratic influence in the region is understandable and necessary, this will require a strategy with quite a bit more sophistication than is presently being demonstrated. As well, implementing such a strategy will necessitate experienced hands who are neither intimidated by the apparent chaos often associated with democratic movements nor infatuated with monarchical tendencies and supportive of elite rule as some bureaucrats appear to be.<\/p>\n

NOTE:
<\/u><\/strong>
Names and other identifying information have been removed and\/or redacted in order to protect the safety of the sender[s], unless the person(s) is (are) a reporter or a public activist(s) and want their names to be known, as publicity sometimes gives them some protection from regime retaliation. If you are not a known public activist and\/or reporter, please inform me if you would like your name to appear along with your report; otherwise, I will redact it to maintain your anonymity.<\/p>\n

regards,<\/p>\n

csc <\/div>\n

__________________<\/div>\n
Colin S. Cavell, Ph.D.<\/p>\n
P.O. Box 9087<\/div>\n
Seattle, WA 98109
(206) 734-8187<\/a> <\/div>\n
ccavell@gmail.com<\/a>
http:\/\/www.cscpo.com\/<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n
———- Forwarded message ———-
From: thepearlroundabout.org<\/a><\/b> <thepearlroundabout@gmail.com<\/a>><\/span><\/p>\n

Date: Fri, Jun 10, 2011 at 6:09 PM
Subject: thepearlroundabout.org<\/a>
To: ccavell@gmail.com<\/a><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\n
\n\n\n\n
\n

thepearlroundabout.org<\/a>
\n\"\"\/ <\/a><\/h1>\n<\/td>\n

\"Link <\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n
\n