General Martin Dempsey: Iran war ‘really destabilizing’
27 January, 2012 – IRD

Press TV – Chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff General Martin Dempsey has said that military conflict with Iran would be “premature” and have deeply destabilizing effects on world security and economy.

“A conflict with Iran would be really destabilizing, and I’m not just talking from the security perspective. It would be economically destabilizing,” General Dempsey said in an interview with the National Journal on Thursday.

“I just think that it’s premature to be deciding that the economic and diplomatic approach is inadequate,” he further noted.

The cautionary comments come a week after the US military chief paid his first official visit to Israel to meet with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Defense Minister Ehud Barak, President Shimon Peres, and military chief of staff Lieutenant General Benny Gantz.

Pointing to the differences of opinion between Washington and Tel Aviv over Iran’s nuclear program, Dempsey noted that the allies see Iran’s nuclear program differently.

“My intervention with them was not to try to persuade them to my thinking or allow them to persuade me to theirs, but rather to acknowledge the complexity and commit to seeking creative solutions, not simple solutions,”he added.

US President Barack Obama, Defense Secretary Leon Panetta and other top officials have warned Israeli leaders about the “dire consequences of a strike” to stop a Tel Aviv’s possible attack against Iran.

The US, Israel, and their allies accuse Iran of pursuing a military nuclear program and have used this allegation as a pretext to sway the United Nations Security Council to impose four rounds of sanctions on Iran.

The pressure against Tehran increased in November 2011 after the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) accused Iran of conducting activities related to developing nuclear weapons before 2003, adding that these activities “may still be ongoing.”

Iran has strongly rejected the allegation. …source

The “Syrian revolution” no longer fires Western imagination
by SYRIA PRESS REVIEW #37 – Voltarienet.org

The unanimity that prevailed in the Western and Gulf press during the last ten months is now crumbling. Even if certain major newspapers have painted the operation of the Syrian army to liberate the cities occupied by the Wahhabi Legion as a form of political repression against unarmed civilians, others are putting up an increasing number of red flags: the photos of civilians demonstrating against President al-Assad have given way to images of masked gunmen, while reports have insistently focused on faith or mafia-related abuses rather than on political protest.

Both the Western and Gulf media continue to reflect the position of their governments, but with more aloofness: the romantic image of the “Syrian revolution” has dissipated. The last remaining subterfuge to try and convince readers is to portray the “rebels” as “insurgents,” claiming they are all Syrian army deserters instead of mostly foreign mercenaries of the Wahhabi Legion, often emanating from al-Qaida ranks.

All commentators await the next meeting of the Security Council where proposals by the Arab League and Russia should be submitted. …source

Iran could ban EU oil exports next week
Al-Akhbar – 27 January, 2012

A law to be debated in Iran’s parliament on Sunday could halt exports of oil to the European Union as early as next week, the semi-official Fars news agency quoted a lawmaker as saying on Friday.

“On Sunday, parliament will have to approve a ‘double emergency’ bill calling for a halt in the export of Iranian oil to Europe starting next week,” Hossein Ibrahimi, vice-chairman of parliament’s national security and foreign policy committee, was quoted as saying.

Parliament is pushing for the export ban to deny the EU a six-month phase-in of the embargo on Iranian oil that the bloc agreed on Monday as part of a raft of tough new Western sanctions aimed at forcing Iran to curb its nuclear program.

The EU accounted for 18 percent of Iranian crude oil sales in the first half of 2011, according to the US Energy Information Administration (EIA), making it Iran’s second biggest customer after China.

But Iran says there’s enough demand for its oil to offset the EU ban, with Tehran’s top three clients all Asian countries.

China and India have shown no intention as yet to cut back its oil imports from Iran, while Japan and South Korea are seeking US waivers. …more

Obama administration using loophole to quietly sell arms package to Bahrain
By Josh Rogin – 27 January, 2012 – Foreign Policy

President Barack Obama’s administration has been delaying its planned $53 million arms sale to Bahrain due to human rights concerns and congressional opposition, but this week administration officials told several congressional offices that they will move forward with a new and different package of arms sales — without any formal notification to the public.

The congressional offices that led the charge to oppose the original Bahrain arms sales package are upset that the State Department has decided to move forward with the new package. The opposition to Bahrain arms sales is led by Sen. Ron Wyden (D-OR) and Rep. Jim McGovern (D-MA), and also includes Senate Foreign Relations Middle East and North Africa Subcommittee chairman Robert Casey (D-PA), Senate Majority Whip Richard Durbin (D-IL), and Sens. Robert Menendez (D-NJ), Benjamin Cardin (D-MD), and Marco Rubio (R-FL).

Wyden and Rep. Jim McGovern (D-MA) have each introduced a resolution in their respective chambers to prevent the U.S. government from going through with the original sale, which would have included 44 armored, high-mobility Humvees and over 300 advanced missiles.

The State Department has not released details of the new sale, and Congress has not been notified through the regular process, which requires posting the information on the Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) website. The State Department simply briefed a few congressional offices and is going ahead with the new sale, arguing it didn’t meet the threshold that would require more formal notifications and a public explanation.

At today’s State Department press briefing, The Cable asked spokeswoman Victoria Nuland about the new sale. She acknowledged the new package but didn’t have any details handy.

Our congressional sources said that State is using a legal loophole to avoid formally notifying Congress and the public about the new arms sale. The administration can sell anything to anyone without formal notification if the sale is under $1 million. If the total package is over $1 million, State can treat each item as an individual sale, creating multiple sales of less than $1 million and avoiding the burden of notification, which would allow Congress to object and possibly block the deal.

We’re further told that State is keeping the exact items in the sale secret, but is claiming they are for Bahrain’s “external defense” and therefore couldn’t be used against protesters. Of course, that’s the same argument that State made about the first arms package, which was undercut by videos showing the Bahraini military using Humvees to suppress civilian protesters.

Regardless, congressional opponents to Bahrain arms sales are planning to fight back. Wyden is circulating a letter now to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton stating that Bahrain’s government continues to commit human rights violations and should not be rewarded with U.S. arms sales.

“The Bahraini government has shown little progress in improving their human rights record over the last few months and in some ways, their record has gotten worse,” Wyden told The Cable on Friday. “Protesters are still being hurt and killed, midnight arrests are still happening and the government continues to deny access to human rights monitors. The kingdom of Bahrain has not shown a true good faith effort to improve human rights in their country and the U.S. should not be rewarding them as if they have.”

“Supplying arms to a regime that continues to persecute its citizens is not in the best interest of the United States,” Wyden said. “When the government of Bahrain shows that it respects the human rights of its citizens it will become more stable and a better ally in the region; only then should arms sales from the U.S. resume.”

That point was echoed by McGovern, who pledged to oppose any arms sales to Bahrain. …more

February 14 Youth Coalition Final Warning to The Mercenaries Hired by Al-Khalifa Regime
by إئتلاف شباب ثورة 14 فبراير on Friday, January 27, 2012 at 8:13am

Our revolutionaries have repeatedly warned you in your own languages (Hindi, Urdu and Arabic) but instead of heeding their warnings and accepting their offers, you have shamefully opted to continue with your ruthlessness and stain your hands in innocent Bahraini blood. You have proven that you are nothing but a bunch of worthless inhuman slaves that do not deserve to lay a foot on our country.

We have so far preserved our right to use force for self-defense, hoping that would make you hesitant from attacking peaceful protestors, women and children. However, common sense and human logic do not seem to work on you.

Therefore, we advise you to heed our final warning for your own sake. Take your belongings and go back to wherever you have come from if you value your life, and do not accept for yourself to commit crimes for the sake of the illegitimate regime of Al-Khalifa. Our people have decided to bring an end to the illegitimate regime, and we have no doubts that you will be the first sacrifice Al-Khalifa will make to maintain their grip on power.

At the same time, we would like to make an honest call to the nations, governments and embassies to make the right decision and condemn hiring their people by Al-Khalifa regime as mercenaries, and call them back before it is too late. We shall take no responsibility for whatever might happen to the mercenaries after this final warning.

Our great people, if the mercenaries fail to heed this final warning and go back to their countries, then you can exercise your right for self-defense without hesitation. The whole world has witnessed your bravery and your strong well for freedom and dignity; the final victory shall be yours.

…source

HM King Hamad Receives Letter from UK Premier
BNA – 26 January, 2012

Manama, Jan. 25. (BNA) – His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa today received a letter from the UK Prime Minister David Cameron.

In the letter, Cameron lauded the fruitful results of HM the King’s visit to the UK in December, 2011 and its positive impact on the solid historical Bahraini-UK ties. David Cameron also hailed the steps taken by the kingdom recently to address the repercussions of last year’s incidents, citing the establishment of the Bahrain Independent Commission of Inquiry (BICI), and commitment to implement the recommendations featuring in its final report, with the support of international legal, security and human rights experts.

He also praised the kingdom’s signing of a Memorandum of Understanding with the Red Cross, which he considered as a “positive” move that will consolidate the kingdom’s reform march, expressing his country’s keenness to back the steps taken so as to ensure the country continuous stability and prosperity.

The UK Premier expressed hope that he will visit the Kingdom, following HM the King’s invitation, wishing that bilateral political and economic cooperation will grow further in 2012. …source

Anti-Discrimination Demo in East Saudi Arabia
ANBA – 27 January, 2012

(Ahlul Bayt News Agency) – Saudis have held a demonstration against the ruling House of Saud in the east of the kingdom.

Protesters in the island of Tarot took to the streets on Wednesday night and chanted “[Crown Prince] Nayef, you are responsible for the killing of protesters,” denouncing the regime’s brutal crackdown on pro-democracy rallies.

The demonstrators also demanded the release of thousands of political prisoners, whom the ultraconservative kingdom is holding without charge or trial.

The Saudi regime has recently stepped up its crackdown on the protesters, killing several and wounding many more of them.

On Tuesday, Saudi security forces opened fire on demonstrators in the Qatif region of Eastern Province, injuring many people.

Some of the wounded are reportedly in critical condition. Nine protesters were also arrested during the attack.

On January 12, regime forces killed 22-year-old protester, Essam Mohamed Abu Abdellah, and wounded three others in Awamiyah.

Saudi Arabia’s east has been the scene of anti-government protests over the past months, with demonstrators demanding respect for human rights, implementation of reforms, realization of freedom of expression, and release of political prisoners.

Anti-government protesters in the kingdom also want an end to economic and religious discrimination and the termination of the government’s March 2011-present involvement in brutal crackdown on pro-democracy protests in neighboring Bahrain.

Sheikh Nimr al-Nimr, a prominent Shia cleric in Saudi Arabia, has warned the kingdom against continuing the brutal crackdown in Eastern Province. …source

Bahrain bars human rights groups as unrest escalates
27 January, 2012 – by Sara Yasin – XIndex

When Index on Censorship visited Bahrain on a fact finding mission late last year, officials repeatedly pledged to maintain a transparent relationship with the international community. Now that undertaking seems just another broken promise. Three international rights organisations have been denied entry this year.

The fact-finding mission investigated the state of free expression in Bahrain. We detailed our findings in a report released this week. In meetings with officials from the Ministry of Human Rights, the mission was promised that as long as the correct procedures were followed, we (and other organisations) would be allowed to enter Bahrain.

Earlier this month Bahrain refused to grant the visas to staff from Physicians for Human Rights and Human Rights First, asking that they delay until March. Despite having visas and a scheduled meeting with the US Embassy, a delegation from Freedom House was barred from entering the country on 19 January, only days before they planned to travel. Authorities asked that the organisation delay their trip until the end of February.

“I was very disappointed that I was unable to go”, Freedom House’s Courtney Radsch told Index. According to Freedom House, the mission’s was not related to political unrest in the county but part of a programme monitoring the empowerment of rural women started in 2010. Radsch said that the decision showed the “complete hypocrisy” of officials. In a blog post, Radsch quoted King Hamad assuring the international community that they would have any open door, saying ”any government which has a sincere desire for reform and progress understands the benefit of objective and constructive criticism.”

A violent crackdown on daily protests continues, and despite the BICI committee’s recommendation that prisoners be released or employees be reinstated, many Bahrainis have been unable to resume their daily lives. Even the chair of the BICI commission, Cherif Bassiouni, who previously commended the King for commissioning the report, said that critics would be justified in calling Bahrain’s sluggish implementation of their recommendations a “whitewash“.

Meanwhile, members of the opposition are growing restless, and this week things took a bloody turn. Violence escalated between protesters and security forces Wednesday, as some younger opposition members attacked police officers. Wednesday’s violence reportedly resulted in four deaths, including that of Mohamed Yacqoub, 18. While human rights activists Index spoke to were insistent on peaceful protest methods, they warned of things taking a more violent turn if brutality against peaceful protesters were to continue after the release of the BICI report. …source

Police join Pro-government Vigilante Attacks on Opposition Protesters, Following Bizarre Orwellian like Pro-government Protest Against US-UK involvment in

In bizarre display of Pro-Regime support, a small group of Bahraini citizens demonstrate, seemly oblivious that US and UK have intervened at the ruling Al Khalifa Regimes request with Top-Cop Trainers, Political, Security and Public Relations Consultants. All the while, the US State Department runs interference for King Hamad’s misdeeds and Human Rights abuse against the majority of the countries citizens who are demanding democratic rule.