…from beneath the crooked bough, witness 230 years of brutal tyranny by the al Khalifas come to an end
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Bahrain Monarchy from British Empire to US Fifth Fleet

by Courtesy

[cb – editor note] In Bahrain, Saudi troops continue to occupy Bahrain to prop-up King al Khalifa and his regime as they detain, kidnap and torture, democracy supporters and Human Rights Activists in an all out effort to silence a resistance that cannot be quieted – with each blow, with each attack on the people of Bahrain, the King hastens an end to his days as ruler.

Bahrain Monarchy from British Empire to US Fifth Fleet
by TRNN

Listen to this talk about how the king came to power in Bahrain is Husain Abdulla. He’s the director of Americans for Democracy and Human Rights in Bahrain.

Transcript

PAUL JAY: Welcome to The Real News Network. I’m Paul Jay in Washington. Thanks for joining us again.
HUSAIN ABDULLA: Thank you.JAY: I should remind people who didn’t see our other interview, you’re a small business man in Alabama, and you represent this organization, which has members across the United States. So talk a little bit about the history of the Khalifa family, how they came to power, and what keeps them there.

ABDULLA: Al Khalifa came to Bahrain in 1790. So they’ve been ruling–or close to that period. They’ve been ruling Bahrain for over 220 years. Since they came to Bahrain, they had this hereditary dictatorship, which mean the father gives the rule to his son. And major government post, actually over 80 percent, held–or 70 percent, held by Al Khalifa ruling family. And it’s basically an autocratic, authoritarian rule, where there is no free or fair elections. Human rights are violated. Torture is a policy against political prisoners. Prisons are full of political prisoners. And there is no real freedom of press or expression. And the government brought mercenaries in their security forces so they can attack the majority of the people.

JAY: Let’s go back a little bit. They more or less become the British protectorate, if I understand it correctly, in the late 1890s, and for most of the 20th century are really under British control. They’re certainly in alliance with Britain. When does that transfer, where the Americans become more dominant? Then when does the Fifth Fleet show up?

ABDULLA: Bahrain became an independent country in 1970, ’71. The relationship between the United States and Bahrain started in mid ’50s. And then Bahrain was chosen to be the base for the Fifth Fleet. Bahrain and the government of Bahrain, the Al Khalifa ruling family, enjoyed a very strong, robust relationship with different US administration[s]. …more