Posts from — May 2012

US intensifies confrontation with Iran
14 May 2012 – WSWS

Negotiations next week in Baghdad between Iran and the P5+1—the US, Britain, France, Russia, China and Germany—will be a turning point in the dangerous confrontation over Iranian nuclear programs. Washington is putting intense pressure on Tehran to make major concessions, even as the US prepares to impose crippling sanctions and threatens war.

Speaking last week in Vienna, US nuclear negotiator Robert Wood demanded that Iran take “urgent, practical steps” in order to comply “with all its international obligations.” He criticised Iran for failing to grant “the IAEA [International Atomic Energy Agency] access to all relevant sites, documents and persons necessary to resolve questions about its nuclear program.”

Iran has repeatedly declared that it has no intention of building nuclear weapons. Its nuclear facilities, including its Natanz and Fordo enrichment plants, and stockpiles are under IAEA inspection and monitoring as required by the Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty (NPT). However, the US and its allies are insisting that Iran end uranium enrichment, which is permitted under the NPT, and ship its stockpile of 20 percent enriched uranium out of the country.

The likelihood of any firm deal emerging from the Baghdad talks is slim. The US demands that the IAEA be granted access to personnel and facilities is an endless process requiring Iran to prove a negative—that nowhere in its large territory are there programs related to nuclear weapons. The IAEA, which is meeting with Iranian officials this week, is demanding admission to Iran’s Parchin complex—a military base—where allegedly high-explosive testing of the type required for a nuclear device took place, nearly a decade ago. Like similar claims, the IAEA “evidence” comes from foreign intelligence sources—most likely from the US or Israel.

Israel, which is threatening to take unprovoked military action against Iran, has put more pressure on negotiations by pressing for a complete end to Iran’s uranium enrichment programs. According to Associated Press, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told EU policy chief Catherine Ashton last week that Iran would have to commit to a timetable to end enrichment and to dismantle its Fordo plant for Israel to accept the outcome—demands that Tehran has already rejected.

Ashton was in Israel to ascertain the stance of the newly formed coalition that brought the opposition Kadima party into the government. Kadima leader Shaul Mofaz, a former internal security chief, had been critical of Netanyahu’s threats to attack Iran. But his entry into the cabinet makes an Israeli attack on Iran more, rather than less, likely. The coalition gives the government an overwhelming parliamentary majority, and Mofaz’s presence will be used to blunt widespread domestic opposition to a war on Iran. …more

IAEA refuses Iran cooperation pact
By Gareth Porter – 15 May, 2012 – Asia Times

WASHINGTON – Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Yukiya Amano has signaled that there will be no agreement with Iran in meetings in Vienna on Monday and Tuesday on the terms for Iranian cooperation in clarifying the issue of alleged nuclear weapons work.

Amano indicated in an interview with The Daily Beast on Friday that he intended to hold up an agreement on Iranian cooperation in responding to allegations of military involvement in its nuclear program until the IAEA was allowed to visit to Parchin, the military complex about 30 kilometers southeast of Tehran.

Amano told journalist Michael Adler the “standoff” over access to Parchin “has become like a symbol” and vowed to “pursue this objective until there’s a concrete result”.

Adler cited an “informed source” as saying that the IAEA rejected any linkage between a visit to Parchin and the rest of the plan for cooperation being negotiated, and insists that a visit to Parchin must come first before any agreement.

But the actual draft negotiating text of the agreement on “Clarification of Unresolved Issues” with Iran’s proposed changes from the original IAEA proposal, which has been posted on the website of the Washington-based Arms Control Association, shows that the major conflict over their cooperation was whether the process had a definite endpoint, not access to Parchin.

Iran’s permanent representative to the IAEA, ambassador Ali Asghar Soltanieh, has said that Iran was willing to grant access to Parchin, but only under an agreed plan for Iranian cooperation with the IAEA.

Amano and Western officials have justified the insistence on immediate access to the Parchin site to investigate an alleged explosive containment vessel for testing related to a nuclear weapon by suggesting that satellite photographs showed Iran may be trying to “clean up” the site.

Amano hinted at that accusation in the interview with Adler without making it explicitly. “We have information and there are some moves – there’s something moving out there,” he said. “Going there soon is better.” …more

NYPD Stopped 351,739 People Last Year for “Furtive Movements”
Posted on May 14, 2012 by emptywheel

There’s been a good deal of reporting on this report the NYCLU released last week, but the report itself must be read to fully understand the gravity of the stop-and-frisk abuse in NYC.

Consider this chart, for example, showing that Mike Bloomberg has had even more success inflating stop-and-frisk numbers than he ever had inflating the stock market.

Then there’s the stat that shows more young black men were stopped last year (168,126 stops of young black men) than reside in the city over all (158,406 total)–statistically, at least, every single young black man has been stopped.

Finally, though, there’s the list of reasons cops gave for having stopped someone in the first place–with “furtive movements” accounting for over half the stops, and “clothes commonly used in a crime” (does this mean hoodies?) cited in 31,555. What’s worse, cops only suspect a violent crime 10% of the time.

The cops frisked the person they stopped over half the time–purportedly because they suspected a weapon that might threaten the officer. Yet they found the weapon that justified the search less than 2% of the time–and weapons were more often found on white men who were stopped than blacks or LatinosIn December, Nicholas Peart wrote a devastating op-ed on what it has been like for him to mature under Bloomberg’s stop-and-frisk explosion, describing the four times he has been stopped and frisked. …more

The principles of the revolution

Motivated by the core principles of Islam that is against slavery,
oppression and embracing Dignity and Freedom, we emphasis on these points:

1. The patriotism and independence of this revolution, and the refusal of
all kinds of interference, guardianship and dependency of our
revolution.

2. The Khalifa regime has lost its of legitimacy and will not be dealt with
under any circumstances.

3. Liberating the country from all oppressors’ current and future, which
are represented now by the Khalifa regime.

4. The refusal of any foreign interference specially the Saudi occupation
that is supporting the Khalifa regime and consider it an occupying force
that need to be fought and pushed out of our country by all means
possible.

5. Not to get involved in any side disagreements and differences amongst
rebels, which can create an obstacle in the path of our revolution.

6. To value and appreciate any effort from any party or individual that is in
the interest of the revolution, the rights of our people and will lead to
self-determination.

7. Activation of all options to lead this revolution to victory and to achieve
its goals.

8. Motivate the pride of the national identity and patriotism, and treat
people based on their loyalty to the country and their patriotism.

…more

US Chutzpah on Bahrain
By As’ad AbuKhalil – 14 May, 2012 – Angry Corner

The State Department held a meeting with Bahraini activists in Washington, DC. During the meeting, the activists were lectured and hectored by a US official. They kept being told over and over again that the government can’t reform while the “youth are resorting to violence”.

The activists, of course, retorted that the US has no qualms in supporting an opposition in Syria, including elements that resort to car bombs, shelling, kidnapping, ransom kidnapping, and various kinds of shooting.

When I received an account of the meeting, I was most outraged. The US government really thinks that Arabs are dumb.

Jeffrey Feltman has been going around Arab media for a year now and offering what he thinks is the most shrewd and sharp observation on foreign policy. He keeps mentioning that Iran supported Arab uprisings in Egypt and Tunisia but not in Syria.

Feltman—not known for his intellect or knowledge—did not even notice that Arab viewers and readers would apply the same accusation of hypocrisy to the US position on Arab uprisings.

The notion that the Bahraini people don’t have the right to resort to violent methods (when they are directed solely at security forces) while the Syrian people and the Libyan people have that right (even if directed against civilians) is a manifestation of the hypocritical standards of the US government and its propaganda apparatus.

Of course, all Arab regimes rule through violent means and Arabs have the right to self-defense. But the right of self-defense does not—should not—include the right to resort to the terrorist methods of car bombs, ransom kidnappings, and shelling.

In its policies in Bahrain, the US government slams the Arabs in the face many times. First, it assumes that Arabs are idiots and that they won’t notice that the US is applying different standards for oppression in Syria and Bahrain. …more

US resumes arms sales to Bahrain. Activists feel abandoned
By Kristen Chick – May 14, 2012 – Christian Science Monitor

Cairo – A decision by the Obama administration to resume a large arms deal to Bahrain has incensed opposition activists in the tiny Gulf kingdom who see the deal as a signal that the US supports Bahrain’s repression of opposition protests.

Military Grade Riot Control Weapons Routinely Deployed as Lethal Weapons Against Bahrain Democracy Movement

In another blow to the opposition, Gulf Arab leaders are meeting in Saudi Arabia today to discuss greater integration of their Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), a move that could solidify the security cooperation between Bahrain and Saudi Arabia. Last year, Saudi Arabia sent 1,500 Gulf troops into Bahrain to help quell the uprising that began in February 2011.

The US froze the $53 million deal to sell military equipment to Bahrain in September, months after security forces there violently suppressed protests calling for reform in a crackdown that has killed more than 50 people. The move to resume the sale – minus some equipment that could be used against protesters – is read by the opposition as the US ending any pressure for reform.

“It’s a direct message [from the US] that we support the authorities and we don’t support democracy in Bahrain, we don’t support protesters in Bahrain,” says Mohammed Al Maskati, a Bahraini rights activist, of the arms sale. He said opposition activists called for a week of protests against the US after the announcement on May 11. “Now protesters are starting to be more angry against the USA and this is not good for the USA,” he says by phone from Bahrain.

Activists are also protesting the proposed GCC union today.

Bahrain, a tiny island in the Persian Gulf connected by a causeway to Saudi Arabia, is home to the US Navy’s Fifth Fleet, considered a vital bulwark against Iran. The US response to Bahrain’s repression has been muted compared to other regional uprisings.

FIDH’s International Board Demands the Immediate Release of its Deputy Secretary General Nabeel Rajab
14 May, 2012 – International Federation for Human Rights

The International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) on the occasion of its international board meeting in Paris on May 13th 2012, strongly denounces the ongoing detention of its Deputy Secretary General Nabeel Rajab.

Nabeel Rajab, the President of the Bahrain Center for Human Rights, has been detained since he was arrested upon arrival at Manama airport from Lebanon on May 5th. He was then charged with “insulting the statutory bodies”. The charges are pressed against him in relation to tweets he posted deemed “insulting” to the Ministry of Interior. He was taken before the court on May 6th, when he stated that he was the author of tweets posted through his account.. He further said that he did not recognise the jurisdiction of the Court and the Prosecution due to their lack of independence from the Executive. The next hearing will take place on May 22, 2012.

On May 12th, Mr. Rajab was again presented before the Public Prosecutor, who informed him of a new case against him for charges of “calling for and participating in an illegal gathering”. According to the information received, based on information provided by the police administration to the prosecutor Nabeel Rajab is alleged to have made speeches during rallies calling for the use of force by demonstrators against police forces. Mr Rajab refused to answer the questions of the judge and declared that the investigation is a conspiracy. The Public Prosecutor remanded Mr. Rajab to detention for an additional seven days in relation to this case.

Mr Rajab faces another case for charges of “participating in an illegal assembly” and “calling others to join”, relating to a protest organised on March 31, 2012 in Manama to denounce the detention of human rights defender Abdulhadi Al Khawaja who has been on hunger strike since February 9, 2012. [1] …more

Film Released on the occasion of Palestinian Prisoners’ Day, April 17, 2012.

Senior Administration Officials on Bahrain
11 May, 2012 – US humanrights.gov

MODERATOR: Thank you, and thanks to everyone for joining us on a Friday afternoon. We certainly appreciate it. As you’ve all seen from the statement we released earlier today, the State Department has informed Congress that it’s in our national security interest to release additional items and services to the Bahrain Defense Force, the Coast Guard, and National Guard. And this is for the purpose of helping Bahrain maintain its external defense capabilities.

And here to talk with you all about that decision, we have three senior Administration officials. For your records, they are [Senior Administration Official One]; we also have [Senior Administration Official Two]; and [Senior Administration Official Three]. Just a reminder this is an on-background call and these individuals should be referred to in your reporting as senior Administration officials.

So with that, I’ll turn it over to [Senior Administration Official One] for some brief opening remarks, and then we’ll get to your questions.

SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL ONE: Hi. Good afternoon, everybody. I think you know that, given the unrest in Bahrain over the past year and pending further progress on reform, the United States has maintained a pause on most arms sales and licenses to the Government of Bahrain, while at the same time continuing to supply some items on a case-by-case basis that directly affected our own national security interests.

Bahrain is an important security partner in a region that’s facing enormous challenges and complications, and maintaining our and our partners’ ability to respond to these challenges is an important component of our commitment to Gulf security. I think many of you might have been on the Secretary’s trip to Riyadh on March 31st when we launched the Strategic Cooperation Forum, which is another example of this commitment we have to Gulf security.

Now in light of our own U.S. national security interests, the United States has decided, as the press statement noted, to release additional items and services for the Bahraini Defense Forces, Bahrain’s Coast Guard, and Bahrain’s National Guard. And the purpose of this is to help Bahrain maintain its external defense capabilities. We have informed Congress of this decision today and we’ll continue our close consultation with Congress on Bahrain in general, including our security cooperation. …more

Security situation is under control says police chief
14 May, 2012 – Gulf Daily News

SITUATION in Bahrain is under control although there were some occasional but limited security incidents in the country, Public Security Chief Major-General Tariq Al Hassan said yesterday.

In an interview with the BBC, he said that there were those who were trying to instigate and incite tension to prevent Bahrain from getting out of the crisis.

He indicated that there were terrorist attacks against security personnel. In response to a question related to those behind such acts, he said that if he knew he would arrest and present them before justice. He affirmed that there were organisations supporting them from the outside.

All were being monitored and some people were arrested and presented to justice and the rest were being watched closely, he said.

He said that Bahrain was witnessing a period of great reform spearheaded by His Majesty King Hamad, with people having the right to demonstrate and express their opinion freely.

Maj-Gen Al Hassan said that this is reflected by the number of demonstrations held in one year reaching 400 with a rate of one or more every day.

He said such demonstrations were found in all democratic countries. He also spoke about external support from some organisations and did not rule out that some countries were involved in funding such acts.

He said there were more than 17 channels that focused on Bahrain in its news as if it was the only topic they had and the information being broadcast was not objective but falsified and misleading.

He revealed that a number of locally manufactured weapons were confiscated, some of which were fire extinguishers used as launchers for spears that had a range reaching 100 metres.

Maj-Gen Al Hassan affirmed that the security forces did not use force but just the necessary force to stop attacks and calm the situation using measures within legal framework. ..source

Letter Three: Corruption and Democracy in Bahrain
14 May, 20120 Sheikh Mohammed Ali Almahfoodh – Chairman of Amal Society

Dear President Barack Obama,

This is my third letter to you from my cell in Jaw Central Prison of Bahrain. In today’s letter, I am going to elaborate on how Amal has been trying to call for key solution politically and economically since 2002 till February 14th 2012.

Mr. President, In 2003, Amal called for a national conference to study the inevitable immediate need for a consensus modern constitution. I had a vision that the National Charter will not serve the purpose of democracy. Since it was written by the Egyptian Ph.D. Ramzi AlShaer, which is not purely Bahraini flavor, who was kicked out for infamous reputation in his own country from one of the most famous universities; I had some points that were keys to a coming revolution. For example, the National charter declares the King as an untouchable absolute power; whenever you have absolute power in one person, democracy will be stamped on sooner or later. Besides, it lacked a bill of Rights that guarantee the civil right and liberties of the people. The conference concluded that a “modern consensus constitution is an immediate must to spread democracy in the country.” On the whole, the National Charter was a big bubble that turned the State of Bahrain into a State of One Family. I had a vision that if we have the majority of the ministers of one family, this means an inevitable conflict of powers in the same family. This is what we are living now in Bahrain. The ruling family is a conquering family with too many voices as decision makers. There is no authority and no say for any regime in Bahrain because there is a conflict in interests now.

Amal also held two big events about the problem of poverty which was covered by the American channel of CNN when they presented poverty in Bahrain under spotlight. In addition, we held a conference to discuss the problem of Housing; can you imagine that we have a housing crisis because our regime does not have any plans allow people own land properties. Three quarters if not more of Bahrain’s lands and sea areas are owned officially by the King and his family. Despite the King’s promise of “land property for each citizen”, people do not have houses to won, except when they die in their graves. It is all a matter of chaotic conflict over power and money boost in the family. The people of Bahrain are of no concern to this family. Throughout history, did you ever read about a King who is replacing his people with mercenaries and terrorists? People who are nationalized in Bahrain are from Pakistan, Yemen, Jordan, and recently Iraq all of which are centers for global terrorism. It is so ironic that the United States of America does not have any say about this solely because Bahrain is a strategic ally.

Mr. President, I am not only a passive critic who is never satisfied with the reform process in Bahrain. As a matter of fact, I personally have met with the King himself for many times. In one of the times, I proposed a project that was oriented towards democracy and Human Rights in the country. It was a national project that would have saved the country from a crisis that has become a polarized regional crisis with too many parties trying to benefit while our dear country is the only big loser.

I have been calling for a genuine transparent dialogue between the people of Bahrain and the ruling family for more than ten years, but no one even cared to listen. Some would say that we did not seize the opportunity of the parliament, but let me tell you that the system of Bahrain is only for décor no more. The parliament was worse than the three/five ration in the United States during Abraham Lincoln. In the elections, we had 1 Sunni voice equivalent to 32 Shiite voices; of course this is a distorted form of democracy. The two houses of the parliament, the Upper and Lower Houses are only places for business deals and social prestige. These houses did not serve the Bahraini people in the least aspect of life. Most of the sessions turn into Shiite-Sunni conflicts reflecting a group of people who do not have the least capabilities of taking part in any dialogue or discussion. Moreover, the two houses have no authority to declare any decree or law because any proposal should get the approval of the government and then that of the King himself. The regime lives in complex of décor achievements and policies. The Crown Prince fostered many remarkable research program that tackle sensitive problems such as poverty and education. However, nothing was translated in reality. Education is still a disaster and poverty is more than ever. This is the heart of the problem. All laws and reformist issues are only on paper but never in reality.

Mr. President, We are not driven by our desire for rule or money, but we are driven by our humane conscience and genuine intention for building Bahrain. We do bear a huge responsibility and we consider this a religious sacred mission. We are all colleagues in the struggle for a better future in the country of Bahrain.

In conclusions, I hope that we are on the right path to pave the way where we can usher the bright future for our children; a bright future that is full of love and peace; a future of prosperity and settlement; and above all, a future that is showered with democracy, dignity, freedom and equality. This is my big dream. My motto is “for God, for Justice, for freedom”.

Yours,
Sheikh Mohammed Ali Almahfoodh
Chairman of Amal Society
Jaw Central prison of Detention
5/13/2012

The Arab Spring Continues To Bleed
Strategy Page – 14 March, 2102

May 14, 2012: Tunisia has updated the casualty count for its revolution last year. Actually, the Tunisian demonstrations began in December 2010 and the government was overthrown by mid-January. The final casualty count for that was 338 dead and 2,147 wounded. This was the first of the Arab Spring uprisings and the shortest and most successful. It was also, by far, the least bloody.

The “Arab Spring” uprisings led to the fall of several long time dictatorships, and a rush to reform (or give the appearance of such) by most other Arab governments. But this was not without cost, and it isn’t over (especially in Syria, Yemen, Bahrain and Algeria). Over 45,000 have died so far, and over a million people were wounded, imprisoned or driven from their homes. The financial cost, so far, has been over $140 billion. About half of that is the destruction of buildings and possessions, or lost GDP. These lost wages have been particularly difficult for populations that were poor to begin with. The rest of the cost was money wealthier monarchies and dictatorship that have spent money (sometimes borrowed) to placate their restless populations.

Tunisia was the briefest of these, with the smallest number of deaths. Neighboring Libya had the highest body count. The new government there says it was at least 30,000, but could be much higher. There is still fatal violence in Libya.

The ongoing violence in Syria has left 11,000 dead so far. There is supposed to be a peace deal in Yemen, but the fighting continues, with over 2,000 dead. Similar situation in Egypt, where the violence, and killings, continues and the death toll is nearly 1,200 so far. There were a lot of demonstrations in Bahrain, but the government remains firmly in power. Same situation in Saudi Arabia, Algeria and Morocco, where may still be major unrest. …more

Bahrain activist detained for extra week
By Elizabeth Broomhall – 14 May, 2012

Bahrain human rights activist Nabeel Rajab is to be detained for an extra week for participating in anti-government protests in January, the UK’s The Telegraph reported.

Rajab, head of Bahrain’s Centre for Human Rights (BCHR), was arrested earlier this month for posting comments on Twitter which “insulted the government”, and is due to face trial for his actions on May 16, the newspaper said.

According to Rajab’s lawyer Mohamed Al Jishi, his detention has been extended by one week for taking part in a demonstration three months ago. For this he will also face trial starting May 22, reports said.

Nabeel Rajab shot to fame in the Arab World early last year for speaking out against human rights violations in the protest-hit country.

In January, opposition activists claimed Rajab was beaten by security forces for his role in pro-democracy demonstrations, but Bahrain’s Interior Ministry denied the accounts.

Bahrain has been rocked by anti-government rallies since February 2011, with the Gulf state’s Shia religious majority calling for an end to the autocratic Sunni rule.

Approximately 60 people are thought to have died amid the unrest, which saw Bahrain’s government impose martial law and impose a violent crackdown on protests. …more

We won’t trouble Saudi’s tyrants with calls to reform while we crave their oil
by George Monbiot – The Guardian – 14 March, 2011

Unrest will be seen as destabilising for western governments too until our dependency on Riyadh’s tap is curbed

Did you hear it? The clamour from western governments for democracy in Saudi Arabia? The howls of outrage from the White House and No 10 about the shootings on Thursday, the suppression of protests on Friday, the arrival of Saudi troops in Bahrain on Monday? No? Nor did I.

Did we miss it, or do they believe that change is less necessary in Saudi Arabia than it is in Libya? If so, on what grounds? The democracy index published by the Economist Intelligence Unit places Libya 158th out of 167, and Saudi Arabia 160th. At least in Libya, for all the cruelties of that regime, women are not officially treated as lepers were in medieval Europe.

Last week, while explaining why protests in the kingdom is unnecessary, the foreign minister, Prince Saud Al-Faisal, charmingly promised to “cut off the fingers of those who try to interfere in our internal matters”. In other parts of the world this threat would have been figurative; he probably meant it. If mass protests have not yet materialised in Saudi Arabia, it’s because the monarchy maintains a regime of terror, enforced with the help of torture, mutilation and execution.

Yet our leaders are even more at ease among the Saudi autocracy than they were in the court of Colonel Gaddafi. The number of export licences granted by the UK government for arms sales to the kingdom has risen roughly fourfold since 2003. The last government was so determined to preserve its special relationship with the Saudi despots that it derailed British justice by forcing the Serious Fraud Office to drop its inquiry into corruption in the al-Yamamah deals.

Why? Future weapons sales doubtless play a role. But there’s an even stronger imperative. A few days ago the French bank Société Générale warned that unrest in Saudi Arabia could push the oil price to $200 a barrel.

Abdullah’s kingdom is the world’s last “swing producer”: the only nation capable of raising crude oil production if it falls elsewhere, or if demand outstrips supply. As a result, political disruption there is as threatening to the stability of western governments as it is to the Saudi regime. Probably more so, as our leaders wouldn’t get away with gunning us down in the street.

Few governments of nominal democracies are likely to survive the economic dislocation that a sustained price of $200 would deliver: like Brian Cowen, they would be out on their butts quicker than you could cycle past a petrol station. You’re as likely to hear David Cameron call for the overthrow of the House of Saud as you are to hear King Abdullah call for the overthrow of the House of Lords. …more

Latuff

Deal with Saudis to shore up Bahrain’s repressive regime
Patrick Cockburn – 14 May, 2012 – UK Independent

Bahrain and Saudi Arabia are expected to announce a closer political union at a meeting of the six Gulf monarchies today. The move is being seen by Bahrain’s Shia majority as an attempt by the Sunni al-Khalifa royal family to retain their monopoly of political power.

Saudi troops leading a 1,500-strong force from the Arab Gulf states entered Bahrain in March last year as the Bahraini government began a campaign of brutal repression against pro-democracy protesters. The authorities have claimed the protests were orchestrated by Iran although both the United States and the government’s own commission of inquiry have said there is no evidence of this.

The unity proposal between the two kingdoms comes as the Bahraini opposition says arrests, beatings and police violence have increased since the Formula 1 Grand Prix was staged in the island kingdom last month amid pledges of reform from the government.

Samira Rajab, Bahrain’s minister of information affairs, said yesterday: “I expect there will be an announcement of [political union] of two or three countries.” He said the Gulf union had been proposed by King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia but was “backed by Bahrain”. In practice, the change appears to apply only to Saudi Arabia and Bahrain, which will inevitably lose a significant part of its independence to the much larger Saudi state.

Ms Rajab said “sovereignty will remain with each of the countries and they would remain as UN members, but they would unite in decisions regarding foreign relations, security, military and economy”. Another top Gulf official was quoted at the end of last week as saying Gulf leaders would “discuss the idea of a union between Saudi Arabia and Bahrain”.

Even discussion of a union underlines the determination of the hardline but dominant faction in the al-Khalifa family not to to compromise with the Shia majority in the population. The hardliners are led by the prime minister, Khalifa bin Salman al-Khalifa, who is close to the Saudi ruling family, has held his position for 40 years, and is supported by the powerful royal court minister and the army commander.

The opposition, meanwhile, says the crackdown on pro-democracy activists has been stepped up in recent weeks. On Saturday, protesters burned tyres and clashed with police to demand the release of opposition leaders and rights activists, one of whom has been on a three-month hunger strike.

Nabeel Rajab, until recently the most prominent and outspoken human rights leader still at liberty in Bahrain, was served with a second detention order for seven days at the weekend, accused of posting “insulting” tweets against the Interior Ministry.

The arrest of Mr Rajab is part of a pattern of increased repression in Bahrain since the Grand Prix, critics of the regime say. Abdul Jalil Khalil Ebrahim, a leader of the largest opposition party, al-Wifaq, said: “Some 200 youths have been arrested since Formula 1 and there are some 900 people now behind bars.” He estimates that 400 have been given prison terms, adding that the security forces are using a particularly toxic type of tear gas and have resumed the use of buckshot, leading to deaths among protesters and bystanders. …more

Democracy is ongoing process in Bahrain: Prince Salman
11 May, 2012 – 24×7

His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, Crown Prince and Deputy Supreme Commander, said democracy is an ongoing process that requires time, hard work and a realistic vision.

“We, in Bahrain, are working diligently to achieve that while being fully conscious of the need to adopt that to our reality and the nature of our society,” he added as he met in Washington US Senator John Kerry.

HRH the Crown Prince underlined the kingdom’s resolve to build on its political, economic and social achievements, which, he said, are a source of pride.

Both sides also reviewed strong bilateral relations as well as regional and international issues of common interest.

The meeting was attended by Shura Council Chairman Ali bin Saleh Al Saleh, Foreign Minister Shaikh Khalid bin Ahmed bin Mohammed Al Khalifa and Follow-up Minister at the Royal Court Shaikh Ahmed bin Attiyatallah Al Khalifa.

Separately, HRH the Crown Prince also met in Washington Senator Joe Lieberman and stressed the importance of internal and external security and stability as a prerequisite to maintain the reform momentum.

He said despite the hardships undergone by Bahrain, Bahrain is determined, under the leadership of HM the King, to bring about further achievements and overcome the repercussions of the previous period.
He also voiced Bahrain’s appreciation of the continuous support provided by brotherly and friendly countries which, he said, helped the kingdom surmount a lot of challenges.

HRH the Crown Prince lauded friendly ties and the strategic alliance with the USA for the best interest of the Bahraini and American people and to maintain regional security and stability. …more

Murdered by Police using a Cruiser to repeatedly run over him in November, 2011.