Bahrain and the U.S. Whip in the Region

Something odd and suspicious is happening behind the scenes of American policy-making toward Bahrain. There has been a 180-degree shift in policy toward Bahrain. In the 1990s the nation suffered through a period of destructive violence marked by fires, the killing of police and attacks on immigrant Asian workers and their stores. Those domestic and foreign groups responsible for the violence, among them al-Wifaaq, found indirect support from Britain through the offer of political asylum to those involved in the terrorist acts in Bahrain.

Throughout the violence of the ‘90s, the American administration remained sympathetic to Bahrain, condemning such acts. At that time, those of us in the media saw that the American position was clearly sympathetic with Bahrain. When his majesty the king came with his plans for reformation, bringing Bahrain into the world of democratic experiments, parliamentary and municipal elections and a modern constitution within a constitutional monarchy, the American administration remained sympathetic. In addition to issuing numerous statements commending the Bahrain experiment, many sought to make Bahrain a democratic model for the entire Arab Gulf region, which disturbed neighboring nations.

However, the political honeymoon between Manama and Washington did not last long as many factors in the region came to a head, including America's political and military involvement in Afghanistan, Iraq, Pakistan and Yemen. Since the American administration sought to establish a connection with the Islamist group al-Wifaaq through its embassy in Bahrain in 2005, the American position regarding the kingdom of Bahrain has been transformed. Suddenly Bahrain has been transformed in the eyes of America from the meager lamb it once considered a democratic model for others in the region to a beast no better than Syria or Libya!

Perhaps al-Wifaaq presented a less than complete or objective image of the democratic experience in Bahrain. Perhaps they gave a bleak description of the reality of the situation in Bahrain. Perhaps they were able to camouflage themselves to seem unconnected to the Islamist government in Iran! There is more than one “perhaps” in this subject, but we must know that the American administration is not that naïve and that it knows very well how to pluck the needle from the haystack.

Then why does America act as it acts towards Bahrain at present, like it did with the transfer of the Balfour declaration from British protection to American protection?!

America wants to use Bahrain as a testing ground for the rest of the nations of the Gulf Cooperation Council and show to them that the U.S. whip is coming for them if they do not yield to what they want. It demonstrates that America is prepared to sell parts of the Arab region in the Gulf to Iran if its interests so dictate. Thus, in politics there are no permanent friends, only permanent interests.