The Obama Administration: Ill-Informed on Bahrain
\nby Morgan Roach – 01 February, 2012 <\/p>\n
Last Friday, Bahrainis held a peaceful, though spirited, rally in front of the United Nations headquarters in Manama to protest what they consider to be misguided foreign efforts to pressure Bahrain\u2019s government to make dangerous concessions to uncompromising opposition leaders, some of whom are linked to Iran.<\/p>\n
Bahrainis, particularly those loyal to the ruling Al-Khalifa family, are outraged by what they consider the Obama Administration\u2019s favoritism for an increasingly violent opposition movement. Dubbed \u201cHands off Bahrain,\u201d demonstrators delivered a clear message to the United State government: \u201cBack off.\u201d<\/p>\n
Since the crisis began last February, sparked by the \u201cArab Spring,\u201d Bahrain\u2019s government has grappled with the restoration of order. Initiated by a youth movement demanding government reform, demonstrations were quickly hijacked by the opposition party, al-Wefaq, and other actors, including Shia cleric Isa Qassim. Iran, as it has done repeatedly in the past, has also played a significant\u2014though covert\u2014role in inspiring unrest. In response, Bahrain\u2019s security forces quickly issued a brutal crackdown that was later assessed in detail by the Bahrain Independent Commission of Inquiry (BICI).<\/p>\n
Despite the government\u2019s attempts to implement the recommendations of the BICI and political reforms created through the National Dialogue, the opposition demands more. However, these demands are often vague and inconsistent. While al-Wefaq and four other opposition groups have outlined their demands\u2014which include drastic political reforms\u2014its supporters are throwing Molotov cocktails at police and calling for the downfall of the royal family.<\/p>\n
The Obama Administration has mistakenly treated Bahrain, which is governed by one of the most liberal governments in the Gulf, the same way it has treated other countries dominated by much more oppressive authoritarian regimes that have been affected by the \u201cArab Spring.\u201d The Administration has hedged its bets in favor of the opposition. Such moves reveal how uninformed the Administration is to the events on the ground.<\/p>\n
Last September, in his speech to the U.N. General Assembly, President Obama effectively legitimized al-Wefaq\u2019s influence when he urged Bahrain\u2019s government to make additional reforms to appease al-Wefaq. Last October, the State Department also blocked a $53 million arms sale to Bahrain, claiming that the sale wouldn\u2019t go through until Washington\u2019s demands for reform were met.<\/p>\n
While the sale of some military equipment was announced last week, some Members of Congress are furious at what they perceive as rewarding Bahrain\u2019s government for too little progress, despite the fact that the arms sale is for Bahrain\u2019s external military use and in support of the U.S. Navy\u2019s Fifth Fleet. The U.S. embassy in Bahrain has also come under heavy criticism after it was revealed that State Department officials met with al-Wefaq leaders.<\/p>\n
Giving such credence to al-Wefaq, the Administration fails to consider what would happen to Bahrain if the monarchy falls to the opposition. Al-Wefaq has made no secret that, if it comes to power, the U.S. Navy\u2019s Fifth Fleet, a major bulwark in containing Iran, would have a limited future. Iran, which considers Bahrain its lost 14th province, would also expand its influence and destabilize the region. …more<\/a><\/p>\n