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Red Alert: Saudi Intervention in Bahrain
Reports emerged on March 14 that forces from Gulf Cooperation Council
(GCC) countries will enter Bahrain to help the Bahraini regime quell
unrest. The report was published by Bahraini Alyam Newspaper (known for
its close links with the ruling al-Khalifa family), and came one day
after clashes occurred between Shiite protesters and police in the
capital, Manama. Troops from United Arab Emirates are reportedly
expected to arrive in Bahrain March 14. Al Arabiya reported that Saudi
forces have already entered Bahrain, but these claims have yet to be
officially confirmed by the Bahraini regime. The only announcement so
far came from Nabil al-Hamar, the former information minister and
adviser to the royal family, who has written on Twitter that the Arab
forces arrived in Bahrain. An unnamed Saudi official also said on March
14 that more than 1,000 Saudi troops from the Shield of Island entered
Bahrain on late March 13, al-Quds reported, citing AFP. Meanwhile,
Bahraini State News Agency reported that The Independent Bloc (a
parliamentary bloc of the Bahraini parliament) asked Bahraini King Hamad
bin Isa al-Khalifa to enforce martial law to contain the unrest.
These reports suggest foreign intervention in Bahrain, or at least the
possibility that the Bahraini military is taking over the security
reins. Such moves mean the regime is getting increasingly concerned with
Shiite unrest, which does not seem to be subsiding despite dialogue
calls from Bahraini Crown Prince Sheikh Salman bin Hamad al-Khalifa. The
ongoing unrest is exacerbated by the split between Bahrain’s Shiite
movement, which became clearer during protests on March 11. The more
hardline faction of the Shiite movement, led by the Wafa and al-Haq
blocs, has been increasing the tension on the streets in the hopes of
stalling the talks between the Shiite al-Wefaq-led coalition’s
negotiations with the regime. Military intervention from GCC countries
means the situation is increasingly untenable for the regime. The
paradox the Bahraini regime faces is that it cannot contain the unrest
while trying to kick off talks with al-Wefaq. Al-Wefaq finds itself in a
difficult position, since it risks losing ground against hardliners if
it appears too close to the regime while Shiite protesters are beaten by
the police. Read More »
