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What about Bahrain?
Thu, 2011-08-25 14:06
#1
What about Bahrain?
Thu, 2011-08-25 14:26
#2
Thu, 2011-08-25 15:22
#3
Ok. So now that our duly elected governments have ALL shown themselves to be perfectly willing to waste another gazillion tax dollars on a dying industry destroying our collective life support system (killing alot of civilians in the bargain) AND do it with a contempt for their tax paying emplyers worthy of a medieval monarch, I say it's high time to do the obvious.
Point out their grotesque hypocracy, so we can actively challenge their lame justifications and 'humanitarian' excuses. And flouting of the very laws they're using to justify it all. (Libya anyone?) But the best way to start I believe is to simply ask WHY are they not so concerned about the active suppression of protests in other more Western (corporate) friendly countries?
Like Bahrain. It's not exactly a state secret. Yet it's being studiously downplayed or ignored by most of our supposedly 'free' press. While Libya and Syria get wall to wall coverage.
"Bahraini police have fired tear gas and rubber bullets at protesters marching against the government near the capital Manama, witnesses say.
The crackdown on Friday came just two days after the tiny Gulf kingdom's authorities lifted emergency rule."
http://english.aljazeera.net/news/middleeast/2011/06/201163135520207409....
"The Bahraini government lifted emergency rule in the country on Wednesday. Tanks and soldiers left the centre of the capital, but authorities said that they would still not stand for any protests against the government. This came as opposition groups called on supporters to return to the streets.
This was the first such appeal for protests since the military raided the roundabout in February, and martial law was imposed in mid-March.
At least 31 people have been killed in Bahrain since the protests, inspired by revolts in Tunisia and Egypt, began on February 14.
Bahrain's rulers responded to the initial round of protests by inviting 1,500 troops from its Gulf neighbours (primarily from Saudi Arabia) to suppress the unrest under emergency laws.
Since the country lifted the emergency law on Wednesday, small protests have taken place in various villages and in Manama itself, rights groups have said. They said that they were met with tear gassing from the police."
Thu, 2011-08-25 15:29
#4
Northern Shoveler
Harper of course would tell us to think of the good jobs in Canada producing these wonderful high tech machines. We are supplying dictators around the world with weaponry designed only for putting down civilian protests.
Mon, 2011-08-29 21:02
#5
Yep, not even very good for real desert warfare. Too bad there doesn't seem much interest in this angle tho; I think it could be quite useful right about now.
Mon, 2011-08-29 22:01
#6
I'll post abit more on this one too, when I have more time. Some history building up to the so far ignored and suppressed Bahrani protests; most probably more spontaneous than the ones in Libya ever were.
Wed, 2011-08-31 23:20
#7
Bahrain: US Ally Kills Children... So When Is NATO Intervening?
This is the face of state terror against civilians in the US and British-backed Gulf oil kingdom of Bahrain - the latest victim a boy shot dead by police. But there will be no call by Washington or London for a Libya-style NATO intervention to protect human rights here. No call for regime change. No call for an international crimes tribunal.Fourteen-year-old Ali Jawad Ahmad was killed on 30 August when Saudi-backed Bahraini riot police fired a tear gas canister at the youth from close range. On the day that was supposed to be a celebratory end to Ramadan - Eid al Fitr - people across Bahrain were shocked by yet another "brutal slaughter of innocents" by the regime and the stoic silence of its Western backers.
Seven months later and no sign of al-Qa'eda terrorists spotting targets for their best friends forever, the NATO luftwaffe circling above.
[img]http://i674.photobucket.com/albums/vv102/jody1331/9%20-11/Eagle-NeverFor...
My it doesn't take long for oil to wash away their bad memories of 9/11.
Wed, 2011-09-14 17:50
#8
Spying on Pro-Democracy Dissidents Secret Diplomatic Cables Reveal Microsoft's 'Win-Win' Deal with Tunisian Police State
The export of high-tech products, included software suites employed for spying on political dissidents, are said to be closely regulated under U.S. law to prevent abuse by repressive governments.However, as Amnesty International disclosed nearly a decade ago, "There are almost no legal or regulatory requirements amongst the G8 states for the inclusion of international human rights or humanitarian law content in the various military, security, and police force training services that they provide to states in all world regions."
Mother, should I trust the government? What's running on your PC?
Democracy should more appropriately be referred to as corporatism because it is a merger of state and corporate power. - The President
Mon, 2013-05-06 12:27
#9
I decided to post this latest news from Bahrain in a thread that does not have Obama as its focus. Bahrain's dictators have upped the ante for dissent in their country.
We should all remember that this is where our Canadian navy is stationed in the Middle East. The fact that it is once more called the Royal Canadian Navy must make the Royal family of dictators in Bahrain feel good about our alliance with them.
Bahrain’s Cabinet approved proposals to impose jail terms up to five years and fines of 10,000 dinars ($26,500) for defaming the king or Bahrain’s flag or coat of arms. It’s unclear how widely the new laws could be applied, but anti-government protests often include chants against the king in the strategic island nation, which is home to the U.S. Navy’s 5th Fleet.
Last week, Kuwait announced a new media law that could bring fines of about $1 million for insulting the emir. Dozens of people across the Gulf have been arrested for social media posts considered offensive to rulers.
http://world.time.com/2013/04/15/bahrain-f1-security-boosted-after-blasts/
Tue, 2013-10-22 12:57
#10
Here is a good article talking about the present situation in this country where our navy has its middle east base.
Two-and-a-half years ago the Bahrain government bulldozed the Pearl Monument, whose tall, graceful pillars held a giant pearl as a symbol of the island kingdom, because it had become the rallying point in the capital, Manama, for pro-democracy protesters. The authorities have never chosen a new symbol to replace the one they destroyed, but, if they do so, they might well like to consider the tear-gas shell or canister as best symbolising Bahrain as it is today. In keeping with this, the government has reportedly signed contracts with South Korean, German and South African firms for 1.6 million tear-gas shells of different calibres, giving it more than one projectile for every Bahraini citizen.
http://www.counterpunch.org/2013/10/22/bahrain-where-tear-gas-shells-rep...
Sun, 2018-02-25 16:12
#11
'Nabeel Rajab's Sentence Is A Slap In The Face of the Rule of Law and Human Rights'
"Rajab is a prominent human rights activist and the president of The Bahrain Centre For Human Rights. He has been sentenced to five years in prison for criticizing on Twitter the Gulf kingdom's role in the war in Yemen..."
Canadian Ambassador Visits Bahrain, 'Lauds Bahrain's Values and Principles'
https://twitter.com/anthonyfenton/status/966449495453007872
"The Canadian ambassador lauded Bahrain's values and principles that support tolerance and religious co-existence, which, he said, has made it an advanced model across the region..."
Canada supports.