The situation has deteriorated in the Persian Gulf sheikhdom since Saudi forces invaded the country to help King Hamad bin Issa Al Khalifa quell the popular uprising there. Amnesty International has condemned the onslaught against Bahrain's opposition.
Press TV talks with Neda Hashwi, a political scientist in Beirut, to learn more about these recent crackdowns and whether these measures can save the monarchy in Bahrain.
Press TV: What are your comments on the ongoing developments in Bahrain?
Hashwi: We are witnessing the unfortunate escalation of the situation. Things are escalating every minute as we are talking and this is extremely dangerous. What the Saudi troops are trying to do [in Bahrain] is something I don't understand. Is this how they ensure security and stability in the area? They are declaring war; it is obvious what they are doing.
I was listening to some political analysts in the Saudi [media] today and I was outraged by their comments about the protesters. They were saying that they are not protesting; they are a group of people who want to destroy the monarchy. Is this the way they deal with their own people? This is a huge sectarian game that is going to happen, not only in Bahrain but it is going to spread all over the region and I can see it happening right now. The brutality towards and killing of the Shia is totally unacceptable and extremely dangerous. What do they think they can achieve by ruling the country by army tanks? Is this the way they want to achieve peace? Is this what the US calls democracy? Where is the UN? Where is the international community?
West is looking at these images which is plain inhumane criminal act and injustice which I can't even describe. Who is going to intervene? The [Persian] Gulf Cooperation Council said it very clearly that any intervention from any other power in the area is a declaration of war, maybe a full-scale war in the whole Middle East. The UN, which of course is powered by the US, is not going to do anything. We are left only with human rights groups. I demand something should happen because if nothing is going to happen, they are going to keep killing them in cold blood.
Press TV: Some of the people in Bahrain were calling for an end to monarchy and some others were asking for constructive dialogue. Don't you think that even those people who were calling for negotiation are having a change of idea by seeing the Saudi brutes on their soil and the number of the killed which is on the rise? How do you think the recent crackdowns will shape the future of the opposition demands?
Hashwi: I see it exactly like what happened in Egypt, Mubarak stepped down and I think the monarchy should go, it is gone already; for an opposition that doesn't exist anymore, asking for dialogue? How can they talk to somebody that is using tanks and army to kill its own people? That is not going to work, unless the monarchy steps down.
Let's use the term minority and majority. If we are going to have a democratic way of ruling, definitely the Shia should be ruling not the Sunni. I don't want to talk like this but this is obviously what they are doing. This is a tactic and I think the US has a big hand in it because [US Defense Secretary Robert] Gates, 24 hours before he came in [Bahrain], gave the Saudis the green light to go ahead and do whatever they want.
What they are trying to do, I think, is to get Iran involved in this kind of situation because they think the more damage they do to Bahrain, to the opposition, specifically to the Shia, maybe Iran will step forward and do something and if this happens, they go straight to the UN and get a resolution to hit Iran. They are going to find any possible way to get Iran because, I believe, in Saudis' mind Iran is the enemy here and not Israel and this is why the Fifth Fleet is in Bahrain to protect the [Persian] Gulf countries, including Saudi Arabia, from Iran, thinking that Iran is going to invade Saudi Arabia or the [United Arab of] Emirates. This is nonsense and I believe Iran knows exactly what is happening and I believe the Iranian government is well aware of what is happening right now in the region and the way they are dealing with it is the right way.
Look at what is happening in other countries as well, in Libya, Yemen, Lebanon... It is the US's best interest. Democracy is not the US's best interest. If this is democracy in the eyes of the US or in the eyes of the Western community, then I don't know what is happening.
These inhumane acts are happening with the green light of the US administration. This is the way they are dealing with any uprising from now on because they were taken by surprise by what happened in Tunisia and in Egypt and they are not going to let it happen anymore. I believe people should grow stronger and demand more for their rights. Whenever you deny people their own basic rights and treat them with inequality, this is what is going to happen. The more you kill them, the more you are going to give them power.
Press TV: Many thanks to Neda Hashwi who joined us here at Press TV from Beirut.
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