Editor’s Note: Caitlin Fitz Gerald writes about international affairs and civil-military relations at Gunpowder & Lead. She is currently turning Carl von Clausewitz's On War into an illustrated children's book. You can find her on Twitter at caidid.
By Caitlin Fitz Gerald – Special to CNN
When protests began in Bahrain last February, they were met with ruthless crackdowns and sectarian abuses, and more than a year later, the relationship between protest action and government response has not visibly changed. People are still taking to the streets in protest, and the regime is still responding with force, arrests, reported torture, and well-coordinated media propaganda. The most recent focal points have been the hunger strike of Abdulhadi al-Khawaja, founder of the Bahrain Center for Human Rights who was arrested in the early days of the protests, and Formula One's controversial decision to go ahead with the Bahrain Grand Prix this past weekend.
Recently, there have been some excellent pieces exploring events in Bahrain, among them Gregg Carlstrom's evocatively titled "In the Kingdom of Tear Gas" which concludes that "the reality is that street protests, after simmering in outlying villages for months, have begun to heat up in the capital of Manama"; and "The Crackdown" in which Kelly McEvers explores the factors that may have doomed the protests from the outset, pronouncing that "If any Arab Spring revolt can be pronounced a failure thus far, this is it." With these excellent articles and the additional attention on Bahrain due to the Grand Prix, there has finally been a sharper focus on what has been perhaps the most neglected theater of the Arab uprisings of the last year and a half in terms of western media coverage.
The regime in Bahrain has developed a standard playbook in response to the ongoing troubles. On the domestic front, they put down protests wherever they arise. For this, they use regular security forces and the more irregular National Security Agency, intelligence agents empowered to make arrests and not subject to the same oversights as regular security forces. Common tactics include arrests, beatings, and clouds of tear gas, and reports of extreme torture and abuse are widespread.
Externally, the Bahraini government seeks to control the media message in any way possible. In addition to keeping major western public relations firms on their payroll, the al-Khalifas have declined visas to many news outlets - others, such as al Jazeera, were banned even before the current troubles - and tightly control the access of those journalists who are allowed in.
For example, those in the country to cover the F1 event this weekend were kept to strict paths of travel and required to mark cameras with fluorescent orange stickers to ensure that they didn't stray from the race in their coverage. Additionally, as anyone who has criticized Bahrain on Twitter or on a blog with an open comments section can attest, the regime uses social media aggressively, with an army of accounts seeking out and responding vociferously to any critiques, not just those related to the F1 event.
The regime wanted to use the Grand Prix to show that everything is 'normal' in Bahrain, and put all its efforts into making sure that it happened, that it was not disrupted, and that the focus of the world was on the race itself and not the ongoing problems in the country. The opposition responded with the largest, most widespread protests of recent months, staging mass demonstrations and lighting tire fires that could be seen from the track to serve as visual reminders to race-watchers that all is not calm in Bahrain. Reports from this weekend indicate a number of violent clashes between protesters and security forces, a number of arrests and injuries, and one death.
The race itself finished without incident, albeit with many empty seats, waffling from corporate sponsors, and the occasional plume of smoke visible in the distance. While the government is declaring the event a success, it is doubtful that they are entirely pleased with the amount of attention - not to mention renewed energy - it has brought to the opposition.
The regime in Bahrain has frequently blamed unrest on foreign interlopers, by which they mean Shia-ruled Iran, but the only foreign intervention in Bahrain's internal affairs actually in evidence is that of Saudi Arabia, and that involvement came at the behest of Bahrain's ruling al-Khalifas. This relationship bears looking at, as there have been reports in recent months of a potential merger between the countries, whose ruling families share dovetailing interests and parallel concerns, and there is little doubt that this relationship impacts U.S. policy toward Bahrain.
Bahrain is a Shia-majority country ruled by a Sunni dynasty. In recent years, there have been small steps toward reforms that would allow more popular power, mixed with other steps designed to decrease the Shia majority – for example, granting citizenship to large numbers of Sunni workers brought in from abroad. This blending of approaches is due to differences of opinion within the ruling family itself as well as simple fear of being overthrown (often conveniently masked as caution against Iranian designs).
Ironically, while there has been no evidence of an Iranian hand behind the protests of Bahrain's Shia population – even the Bahrain Independent Commission of Inquiry, commissioned last fall by the regime itself and presented publicly as a way of moving forward, could find not one scrap of evidence - the crackdowns have provided Iran with the opportunity to loudly pledge solidarity with their oppressed co-religionists, rhetorically through their state-run media if not materially.
Saudi Arabia is a Sunni-majority country ruled by a Sunni monarchy, but with a large Eastern Province, which houses both the country's oil deposits and a large Shia population, and which neighbors Bahrain. The Saudi regime has historically given little respect to the concerns of the Shia of the Eastern Province and responded forcefully to any sign of unrest. Madawi al-Rasheed, in her recent Boston Review piece on why there has been no popular uprising in Saudi Arabia, provides an excellent nutshell encapsulation of this dynamic: "using its classic strategies—anti-Shia religious rhetoric, a powerful and Western-trained security force, and economic handouts—the regime crushed any signs of an uprising."
The al-Khalifas fear the majority they rule. The Saudis fear that the uprising in Bahrain could spread to their own Shia community. While the two regimes are friendly, the Saudi intercession in Bahrain was more about sending a message to and preventing possible unrest among their own citizenry – and doing what they felt would minimize potential benefits to their rival Iran – than about support for the Bahraini monarchy, as would be any closer political allegiances into which they might enter.
They either have not considered that aiding in the oppression of Bahrain's Shia could actually serve as a spur to more action from their own dissatisfied residents or, more likely, are simply relying on their historical preference for swift, ruthless suppression and gambling that quelling the uprising in Bahrain will have more of a quieting effect in the Eastern Province, and the quicker the better.
In addition to a religious sect and an Iranian bogeyman, these two monarchies share an elevated position in United States foreign policy. Saudi Arabia has long been an anchor in the region for the U.S., and Bahrain is home to the U.S. Navy's Fifth Fleet. U.S. interests in the two countries heavily favor stability, often at the cost of freedoms. While U.S. diplomacy encourages reforms and peaceful resolutions, it is not yet clear how far public protests or the subsequent suppression would have to go before the U.S. would take the sort of steps it did in Libya, or the sort of less stringent steps it has taken in Syria, or even Egypt.
The U.S. approach could prove to be dangerously short-sighted. As long as the opposition continues to protest, and the regime continues to crack down, that cornerstone stability is nowhere to be found and the U.S. is in an awkward position regarding oft lauded ideals of democracy promotion and human rights. This does not even take into account possible repercussions were the opposition ever to actually overthrow the al-Khalifas.
With the U.S. having made no movement to counter the impunity of the current regime, a new regime is unlikely to have friendly feelings toward the U.S., which would create a range of strategic problems, first and foremost among them potentially having to either clear the Fifth Fleet out in a hurry or go to war with the new government. In the U.S. reliance on Bahrain as a strategic foothold in the Gulf, depending on the eternal survival of a status quo built on majority disenfranchisement and widespread abuse is foolish.
The U.S. position is also questionable as it relates to Iran. While Iran is not behind the movement in Bahrain, it can benefit from instability plaguing its rivals and would surely seize on any opportunity that might arise from it to increase its influence in the region, something the U.S. purports to oppose. An opposition movement that started out as a peaceful voice for democratic reforms is increasingly radicalizing, creating an opening for Iran to potentially start providing material support. In the event of an overthrow of the current government, Iran would also be well-positioned to receive favorable treatment from the new government. The Bahraini protest movement did not need to be a sectarian battleground, but the government response has ensured that it has become an increasingly contentious one.
The protests in Bahrain continue, despite often brutal suppression, and have even picked up steam under the spotlight drawn to the country by the Grand Prix. The intersecting interests of Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, the U.S., and Iran are highlighted by the state of affairs there, as are the potential pitfalls of current policies: U.S. and Saudi efforts to counter Iranian influence could well enhance it; Saudi repression in Bahrain could inspire unrest at home; and the al-Khalifas' efforts to cling to power have already long since turned peaceful demonstrations for reform into widespread – if not yet universal – calls for their overthrow. Thus far the U.S. policy has amounted to 'let's cross our fingers and hope the al-Khalifas and the Saudis can make this all go away soon.' But it is not going away. Even if we are willing to admit that U.S. interests don't necessarily include democratic reform and human rights for the people of Bahrain, it would behoove us to start seriously considering alternatives before all parties are hopelessly trapped by the tangle of interests at play.
The views expressed in this article are solely those of Caitlin Fitz Gerald.
© 2012 Cable News Network. Turner Broadcasting System, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
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The current regime in Bahrain is like a blighted tree. It needs to be taken down and replaced with a Communist government similar to that of China. Enough said.
Communism has its place.
Maybe its time for a Red America?
Eh comrade?
@thor. Thelibs kinda already have their own little taste of communism and they want more. Giving staples of survival to a certain percentage of thr population via foodstamos and govt handout programs has given them a taste of the power of god, and they just want more. If C says what D and do with A and B s money, then we are in real trrouble. They have already created a heirarchy in their pwn political systm, similar to what the Soviets did no? IF we let socialism get out of control, which it is IMO, the next step is all out totalitairian rule over the land by the people who were unwittingly given control of other peoples money and livelyhoods.
nothing is going to change in #Bahrain .... while the king and his uncle"PM" doesn't change
It was a huge mistake that the Bahraini government called in the Saudi military in early 2011 to crush protests by Shia demonstrators, who demanded a greater say in poliitcs and an end to what they said a systematic discrimination against them in jobs and services. Despite the crackdown, Shia resentment continues to simmer and will reach a point of no return one day – just like in Syria.
I I do agree with you except for the bit about Shia resentment. There are Sunni in prison and on the street who are against the practices of the dictatorship and want reform.
The ones to be removed from Bahrain are the protesters, not the ruling family. They are originally from Iran, if they dont like it here in Bahrain, they should go back to their own place: IRAN..
We the people of Bahrain love our rulers, the minority who don't, don't represent true Bahrainis.
Exactly how much did the right-wing thugs in Washington pay you to post that? Since the king of Bahrain is a stooge for both London and Washington, these people will do anything to keep this joker in power!!!
can't you be more creative?
I totally agree. the shia bahrainis must go back to iran. they pay the shia 2 create chaos!
Having just returned from Bahrain, I feel that the author this article should declare whether or not she has actually ever visited the place. The article is basically a write-around of the mainstream papers who have sensationalized the whole conflict in recent days. I went to Bahrain opposed to the whole thing and I changed my mind when I saw what was really going on. Read the http://www.joeblogsf1.com if you want a more balanced picture – and in particular read the comments from people in Bahrain...
II lived and worked for the government in Bahrain. One of the 3 "silent majority" you met is in a pro-government group called TGONU. They were the ones who strung up pictures of the protest leaders with nooses around their necks.
At their last meeting they managed to get around 100 people supporting them. So much for the "majority" part. But they are certainly not silent. You have been misled, my good man.
Where's bahrain? Sounds like a towel head shlthole. Already forgotten. Hahahahahaha
One can find more information about Bahrain and ongoing developments in the Middle East in the novels - king of Bat'ha - and the ensuing sequel due out by summer 2012 - Tales from the East: Return of Ivanhoe.
Have any of you actually been to Bahrain???
Actually yes, I was there for a year. Bahrain is actually a nice little island country. The true Bahraini people are fantastic and the King and the ruling family are doing a fantastic job over there.
Correction...meant to say Lindsay. My apologies and not sure where I got Jan from.
I have to agree with Jan, I spent 8 months in Bahrain and thought the place was quite beautiful. The ordinary people I encourtered where quite nice and polite. And we're very willing to offer assistance if you looked like you needed it. In my down time, I would go to the local market and sip tea at an outside cafe. On many occasions, the locals would sit and discuss an array of topics with me. Most of these people were quite educated and well spoken in english. Many people were fasinated with American's and out culture too. I honestly couldnt say a bad thing about Bahrain while I was there. I was treated extremely well most of the time.
actually let's forget them, and any other middle eastern terrorist crap hole.
"....willing to admit that U.S. interests don't necessarily include democratic reform and human rights for the people of Bahrain..." My! is that ever an understatement! Democratic Reform?!? Does anybody at all remember the Kuwait War?
The United States and its western banking allies only interceed in matters which threaten the world banking dynamic and never in matters of human rights...That's just the way it is.
When countries like Iraq and Libya sell oil for means other than the petrodollar, regimes and the economic capacity to sell oil for anything other than petrodollars are removed and we are handed EXCUSES of human rights abuses etc., but those are never the REAL reasons for interceeding.
Since the US dollar went fiat, the generational sovereignties of some of the egregious human rights violating Monarchies the world has ever seen have been protected against both foreign and internal threat by the United States and its banking allies. This is because Monarchies like Kuwait and Bahrain trade this protection for their policy of selling oil for petrodollars and petrodollars exclusively. This is the only way the US dollar has been able to remain 'The World's Reserve Currency' allowing for credit monetization free from immediate debasement while at the same time being fiat.
A change in leadership in Bahrain which potentially might bring policies of selling oil on the market for something other than petrodollars is simply not at all going to be encouraged by the west.
And do not hold your breath waiting for dissenting opinion offered in the media by al-jezeera because that news agency was founded by the Emir of Qatar, who is enjoying the same protections as the rest of Monarchies.
For as long as it is the US dollar remains the 'World's Reserve Currency', the Monarchies – - all of them – - – will remain in power so as to prevent economic dissent by any of the OPEC nations.
Let the entire middle east burn! i don't care anymore. We lost many a good boy over there for people who hate us. Let them all die, Let their own leaders kill em all!
fk bahrain shiia those people in the street are terrorists allied with hizboallah and iran.
they have free school , free hosuing and medicin and every thing free ...they atre the one with theu guns from iran , spies to iran and many cases were proven where iran pay money to make those people creats problems.
go after syiran governement who killed 15,765.00 cevilians until now the shiia thugs are evil
na3am! fk irn
Hey you two above, do cut that Tea Party lingo out, please!
http://www.Hear-The-Truth.com
I think the reason this is studiously overlooked, while Syria is an opportunity for a daily diatribe, is that Bahrain is an 'ally' of ours while Syria is not. This is not the only example of this selective application of principle in the area and displays remarkable consistency in regards the ally/non ally relationship in response. There can be little clearer exposition of hypocrisy, self interest rather than human interest, than this.
Well put, Bob. Thank you.
Should we consider finding a new home to the U.S. Navy's Fifth Fleet?
syrian thugs killed almost 15,000 people childrem and old peaople in bahrain most of those in the street are terrorists allied to iran and hizboallah...who arerking also in syria hizboallah and iran are the evil hands behind all that.
attack iran attack syria now before it is too late
Would you believe that since 2006, a Mexican drug cartel headed by El Chapo Guzman has killed more than 50,000 people? And he's still at large. And what are you doing about it?
@** iran. Hey you above, you know that the king of Bahrain is killing those people on the streets, not Bashar al-Assad nor any Iranian. Besides, please quit using that filthy Tea Party lingo while you're at it as I said before, it has no place here!
شريط فيديو يظهر ما يعتقد انها صور لطائرات تاتي من دولة ثالثة لتمر عبر الاجواء العراقية باتجاه سوريا
– April 25, 2012
دبي-الشرقية 25 نيسان: اظهر شريط فيديو يُعتقد انه صُوِر لطائرات تاتي من دولة ثالثة لتمرعبر الاجواء العراقية باتجاه سوريا. وذكر عاملون في الاجهزة الامنية جرى الاتصال بهم ان هذا الشريط صحيح وجرى تصويره خلال72 ساعة الماضية في منطقة محاذية للحدود العراقية مع سوريا.وقدر متخصصون من العاملين في الاجهزة الامنية في تلك المناطق بعد اطلاعهم على الشريط ان عدد الطائرات قد يصل الى عشر كانت في حالة حركة خلال الساعات 72 الماضية وانها ليست طائرات عراقية ومن المستبعد ان تكون قد اقلعت من الاراضي العراقية. وجرى التاكد ثانية من مصدر شريط الفيديو الذي تمسك بان الصورَ التُقطِت قرب الحدود مع سوريا وان الشريط حقيقي وانها ليست المرة الاولى التي يجري فيها رصد عبور طائرات من دولة ثالثة عبر اجواء العراق الى سوريا وهو امر ذكره عاملون في اجهزة امنية في المناطق ذاتِها كاشفين ان هذه الطائرات تتحاشى التحليق فوق المناطق المأهولة بالسكان وانها لم تجرب العبور فوق العاصمة او شمالِها او جنوبِها بمسافة 70 كيلومترا على الاقل من كلا الاتجاهين وجرى الاتصال بمصادر اخرى في محافظة الانبار اكدت ان العبور الجوي باتجاه سوريا قد انخفض في الاسابيع الستة اِلماضية ولم تُسجل حالة عبور جوي من هذا النوع فوق المناطق السكنية في محافظة الانبار. غير ان مصدر شريط الفيديو عاد واكد ان الصورَ التُقطت في منطقة غير مأهولة وبعيدة كثيرا عن العاصمة بغداد. وتترك الشرقية نيوز للمعنيين تاكيدَ او نفي وجود حركة جوية من دولة ثالثة عبر اجواء العراق وهو الامر الذي سبق للحكومة العراقية ان نفته بعد ان نشرت صحف امريكية تقارير عن وجودها ولم يتمكن العاملون في الاجهزة الامنية تاكيد هوية الطائرات او نوعها بدقة. هذا ونفى المتحدثُ باسم مكتبِ القائد العام للقوات المسلحة ضياء الوكيل على الفورنفى وجود حركة جوية من هذا النوع فوق اجواء العراق باتجاه سوريا وقال ان الصورجرى فبركتُها
so the best thing now is theta the falloja and rumadi people along with mousel will attack those planes and to prove that they are iranians jet fighters going to syria to kill the sunni and kurds. the plan is the kurds and sunni of iraq already have sam and shoulder rocket ant aircraft sam 5 and 7 and they are waiting for those criminals
– April 25, 2012
دبي-الشرقية 25 نيسان: دعت رابطة الشفافية في العراق البنكَ المركزيَ لاتخاذِ قرار جريء بالغاءِ لجنةِ المزاد.وقالت الرابطة ان هذه اللجنة احدُ اسبابِ الاضطراب في الوضع النقدي العراقي حتى انها كادت تــُصبح هي المشكلة َ بدلا من ان تكونَ الحل.وذكرت الرابطة في تقرير جديدٍ لها ان العراقَ والبنكَ المركزي ووزارة المالية تحديدا بحاجةٍ لاعتمادِ الاساليب التي تَعمل بها الدولُ المستقرة اقتصاديا وماليا حيث لا يُوجد شيءٌ مشابهٌ للجنةِ المزاد المُعتمَدة في البنِك المركزي. وبمعنى ادق هو ان تــُوكَل عملياتُ التحويل للبنوكِ المُعترفِ بها وبكفاءتِها ووزنِها على وفق المعايير المحليةِ والدولية بعد التأكدِ من عدم تورطِها بقضايا غسيل اموال وتكون هذهِ البنوكُ خاضعة لمراقبةِ جهاز جديدٍ لغسيل الاموال بدلا من الجهاز الحالي المُتهم بالمحاباةِ والمجاملةِ باعتمادِ الوثائق وتمريرهِا. وقالت الرابطة ان استمرارَ الوضع على ما هو عليهِ حاليا سيُؤدي الى مشاكلَ جديدة والى اغتناءِ حِفنةٍ محدودةٍ من الافرادِ على حسابِ مصالح البلاد. كما سيُفاقم من المشاكل التي تــُواجهها عملياتُ الاستيرادِ والتصدير وستَنعكس على الخدماتِ العامة في البلاد. واضافت الرابطة ان البنكَ المركزي مُطالبٌ باجراءاتٍ جريئة تَمنع استمرارَ محاباةِ مديريةِ غسيل الاموال الحالية التي يُديرها موظفٌ غيرُ متخصص وهو في وضع مُلتبس لكي يَحلَ جهازٌ بديل لا يَعقِد الصفقاِت في بيروت وعواصمَ اخرى ويُمرر اجراءاتٍ مريبة عبْر لجنةِ المزاد كما حصل مس في مجاملةِ فروع لبنوكٍ لبنانية استنادا الى تفاهماتٍ يَجري الاتفاقُ عليها عادة خلال زيارةِ مسؤولين من جهاز غسيل الاموال ولجنةِ المزاد الى بيروت . واشارت الرابطة الى ان الدولَ المُستقرة َ ماليا واقتصاديا تَعتمد نظامَ التحويل الالكتروني ومراقبة مستمرة لعملياِت غسيل الاموال لكي تَتحاشى سلبياتِ التعامل المُباشر بالعملة عدا ما يَتعلق بتلبيةِ الحاجاتِ الفردية للمواطنين الذين يَحتاجون الى المبالغ الصغيرة لاغراض العلاج والتحويل المُتبادَل بينهم وبين عائلاتِهم في الخارج. وقالت رابطة الشفافية في العراق ان على البنك المركزي ان يعترف بان اخراج شركات التحويل المالي من مزاد البنك كان مريبا ليس من جهة اهلية تلك الشركات ولكن بسبب كون اتـُخذ لمنفعة جهات بعينها لضرب جهات اخرى مما جعل بعض اركان البنك المركزي جزءا من لعبة المضاربة في سوق النقد وهي حالة تؤشر انقلاب الحال الى اسوا الاوضاع حيث يتحول دور البنك من منظم وضابط ومراقب للعملية النقدية الى طرف في سوق المضاربة واضافت الرابطة ان خبراءها يفضلون في الوقت الحاضر عدم عرض المعلومات بكامل الاسماء والمسميات بانتظار ان يأخذ البنك المركزي المبادرة لمعالجة الخلل بنفسه قبل ان يتحول الى قضية راي عام.
– April 25, 2012
دبي-الشرقية 25 نيسان: دعت رابطة الشفافية في العراق البنكَ المركزيَ لاتخاذِ قرار جريء بالغاءِ لجنةِ المزاد.وقالت الرابطة ان هذه اللجنة احدُ اسبابِ الاضطراب في الوضع النقدي العراقي حتى انها كادت تــُصبح هي المشكلة َ بدلا من ان تكونَ الحل.وذكرت الرابطة في تقرير جديدٍ لها ان العراقَ والبنكَ المركزي ووزارة المالية تحديدا بحاجةٍ لاعتمادِ الاساليب التي تَعمل بها الدولُ المستقرة اقتصاديا وماليا حيث لا يُوجد شيءٌ مشابهٌ للجنةِ المزاد المُعتمَدة في البنِك المركزي. وبمعنى ادق هو ان تــُوكَل عملياتُ التحويل للبنوكِ المُعترفِ بها وبكفاءتِها ووزنِها على وفق المعايير المحليةِ والدولية بعد التأكدِ من عدم تورطِها بقضايا غسيل اموال وتكون هذهِ البنوكُ خاضعة لمراقبةِ جهاز جديدٍ لغسيل الاموال بدلا من الجهاز الحالي المُتهم بالمحاباةِ والمجاملةِ باعتمادِ الوثائق وتمريرهِا. وقالت الرابطة ان استمرارَ الوضع على ما هو عليهِ حاليا سيُؤدي الى مشاكلَ جديدة والى اغتناءِ حِفنةٍ محدودةٍ من الافرادِ على حسابِ مصالح البلاد. كما سيُفاقم من المشاكل التي تــُواجهها عملياتُ الاستيرادِ والتصدير وستَنعكس على الخدماتِ العامة في البلاد. واضافت الرابطة ان البنكَ المركزي مُطالبٌ باجراءاتٍ جريئة تَمنع استمرارَ محاباةِ مديريةِ غسيل الاموال الحالية التي يُديرها موظفٌ غيرُ متخصص وهو في وضع مُلتبس لكي يَحلَ جهازٌ بديل لا يَعقِد الصفقاِت في بيروت وعواصمَ اخرى ويُمرر اجراءاتٍ مريبة عبْر لجنةِ المزاد كما حصل مس في مجاملةِ فروع لبنوكٍ لبنانية استنادا الى تفاهماتٍ يَجري الاتفاقُ عليها عادة خلال زيارةِ مسؤولين من جهاز غسيل الاموال ولجنةِ المزاد الى بيروت . واشارت الرابطة الى ان الدولَ المُستقرة َ ماليا واقتصاديا تَعتمد نظامَ التحويل الالكتروني ومراقبة مستمرة لعملياِت غسيل الاموال لكي تَتحاشى سلبياتِ التعامل المُباشر بالعملة عدا ما يَتعلق بتلبيةِ الحاجاتِ الفردية للمواطنين الذين يَحتاجون الى المبالغ الصغيرة لاغراض العلاج والتحويل المُتبادَل بينهم وبين عائلاتِهم في الخارج. وقالت رابطة الشفافية في العراق ان على البنك المركزي ان يعترف بان اخراج شركات التحويل المالي من مزاد البنك كان مريبا ليس من جهة اهلية تلك الشركات ولكن بسبب كون اتـُخذ لمنفعة جهات بعينها لضرب جهات اخرى مما جعل بعض اركان البنك المركزي جزءا من لعبة المضاربة في سوق النقد وهي حالة تؤشر انقلاب الحال الى اسوا الاوضاع حيث يتحول دور البنك من منظم وضابط ومراقب للعملية النقدية الى طرف في سوق المضاربة واضافت الرابطة ان خبراءها يفضلون في الوقت الحاضر عدم عرض المعلومات بكامل الاسماء والمسميات بانتظار ان يأخذ البنك المركزي المبادرة لمعالجة الخلل بنفسه قبل ان يتحول الى قضية راي عام.
stealing iraqi oil and money to help iran and to help syria to get a head of sanction , where is usam wake up iran are sending money and weapons to syria and hizboallah using iraqi land and sky, syria are sending weapons to hizboallah in lebanon , attack those evil terrorists before it is too late, iran now putting long range rockets in the 3 arabic islands in the arabian gulf where is united nation! why go after south sudan and leave iran taken our lands!!!
Bahrain contains people who might harm Israelis.
They need to be shot in their homes, their mosques burned, and their children killed with injection.
Israel must not be put in danger.
Only a moronic islamist would post such disgusting comment.
You are fooling no one ABDUL!
Idiot American will forget , they have taken two policy for Syria and Bahrain.
Shia – Sunni – who gives a rats posterior!
Does anyone else remember when we stopped the genocide of Muslims in Kosovo, in exchange for absolutely nothing? Even the Muslims in Kosovo speak out against the U.S. now. No matter what we do, they will not like us. It is simply sound foreign policy to support regimes that support us in return, and oppose those who do not.
As for condemning Bahrain for the use of tear gas and arrests of protestors, as well as the use of torture, the U.S. is living in a glass house on that one.
So do the new Albanian rulers in Kosovo keep up the supply of human organs? Well, I think Kosovo today is the place to go for anybody in need: these guys managing Kosovo today have got an experience of providing donor organs that nobody can match! It is strange they did not go for production of purses from human skin... Probably just did not bother.
Deplore, don't deploy.
The current regime are in power for one reason, shear force, brutality, massacre, and slaughter of innocent people. 95% of the citizens hate them for what and who thry are!!!! The best part of it is how the hypocrite world rulers who are so concerned with human lives are so silent have not said a single word about it!!!! Why do think that is? Why are they so concerned about Syria, Iran, etc. but condone all these criminal acts by these criminals?
Throughout the region, it is the Shi'as causing all the problems. They used to be called Shi'tes. I wonder why they changed the name?
Shi'tes and Shias are the same exact thing. But I agree with you they cause all the problems in the middle east. You know there was a shia majority country that had a sunni king but they overthrew him for 'democracy" its called Iran.
It is very obviouse that media in the US is controlled heavilly by the Jews and Syria being the main focus and the old enemy of Israel. Perhaps.the Saudi king
http://freeuntodeath.wordpress.com/
http://freeuntodeath.wordpress.com/
#ExpectUs Everywhere!
"When protests began in Bahrain last February, they were met with ruthless crackdowns and sectarian abuses..." – and it worked! So it is important lessons for the future: do not listen to liberals and act ruthlessly before it is too late! Do not wait for the pandemic decease to spread!
What does not seize to amaze is that Syria is on the verge of bring invaded (to protect Israel), Iraq was invaded (free oil for US) as was Libya (so Europe could get free oil too!!), but Saudi, Bahrain and Kuwait are not touched or even pretend – pressured for their brutal regimes (since they are US allies). This double standard MUST be addressed. Therefore, is it the norm that a US ally can brutalize its people, but it is a crime against humanity if you are NOT a US ally.
Fareed,
You call Bahrain police treatment to the people prutal,I never heared you say anything about Syria where 50 to 100 die every day and some days it is more than that meanwhile to total count of the people killed in Bahrain is about 60 people and they where more violent than the syrians,I do not understand this hypocracy is it because Asad is actually killing Suni Muslims.