(Ahlul Bayt News Agency) - There is an interview with Hilal Khashan, professor at the American University of Beirut, to share his opinion on this issue.The following is a rough transcript of the interview.Q: Does the crisis that is happening inside Bahrain, does it fall under the category of a humanitarian crisis, something that needs the intervention of the international community?I mean we have seen this in other countries for example Syria, the United Nations Security Council has been meeting for that, for the sake of Syria saying that there is a humanitarian situation. Doesn’t Bahrain fall under this category?Khashan: It sure does but let’s face it. The agencies that activate humanitarian intervention are controlled by the West and the West has been applying this instrument of humanitarian intervention rather selectively.Press TV: So we might not see any clear intervention, this is what you are saying any time soon?Khashan: I do not expect the Western agencies that control the issue of humanitarian intervention to interfere in Bahrain. In fact the West tolerated the entry of Bahrain by Saudi troops to restore “law and order”.So I do not think the West is considering any sort of humanitarian intervention there unfortunately.Q: Professor Khashan, how do you think the groups like Amnesty International and so on, they have just asked for the Bahraini kingdom to release the prisoners, they have asked them to stop the crackdown. Can these translate into actions in any way if there is a strong stance from some nations?Khashan: Yes, I mean groups, agencies such as Amnesty International have the capacity to perform the role of soft power.Soft power functions well in democratic and transparent political systems. I am afraid to say that in systems such as Bahrain or others, soft power does not play a role in deciding policy.Therefore I do not really expect Amnesty International efforts in this regard to play a crucial role.Having said that, I clearly believe that the Bahraini government is committing a great, gross mistake by letting Mr. Khawaja face his destiny because that would serve as a new spark for a larger uprising.Here you have a humanitarian situation that has to be dealt with immediately. We have no proof, no solid evidence to suggest that the man was conspiring to oust the regime.Q: How far do you think this will go especially since the protesters up until now, they have been peaceful protesters, they have not been armed whereas you see protesters or opposition forces inside Syria for example armed and being supported by the West?What is the difference between the two, the contradictions, some analysts believe that there is clear double standard and Bahrain is an example of that?Khashan: Well of course. You know, the US has commitment to Saudi Arabia and the commitment goes back to 1944-45 when they signed the strategic agreement.And Saudi Arabia, the regime there considers Bahrain an area of vital interest. Therefore US policy on Saudi Arabia and Bahrain is identical and the Americans acquiesce to Saudi pressures when it comes to Bahrain.Having spoken about international intervention, let’s not really expect much from international intervention even in the case of Syria, the extent of international intervention has not been able to alter the situation on the ground.So the ability of the international community to act and to act with success depends to a very large degree on the willingness of the concerned countries to apply pressure.Q: Yes, but they have been financing for instance the opposition in Syria whereas other opposition in Bahrain for example has had no support, even voice?Khashan: Yes of course. Syria is a contested ground between different groups whereas Bahrain is not seen as an area of contest to the grounds and the Americans accept the hegemony of Saudi Arabia there. This is the difference.Q: Professor Khashan, I want to ask you a little bit about the role of Saudi Arabia here. We have heard how Saudi Arabia has been very articulate when it comes to supporting the opposition in Syria and perhaps in other places but at the same time for instance in Yemen it seems to be for example giving refuge to Abdullah Saleh, even Ben Ali, and now even Mubarak elements are also being supported by Saudi Arabia.Why do you think that is? Why is Saudi Arabia’s role into this extent?Khashan: Saudi Arabia’s role depends on the situation in which an uprising is taking place. In Yemen, they see the society there as tribal and Saudi Arabia for many years has been active among Yemeni tribes.For years they felt that competition could come to them from Yemen. Therefore they co-opted most of the large tribes in Yemen.Therefore their aim has been to maintain the status quo in Yemen and to prevent a successful revolution from occurring and they succeeded so far in containing the situation in Yemen and they transformed the event there into a civil war as we are witnessing specially in the southern part of Yemen.In Egypt the loss of Mubarak was a deep personal loss for the Saudi royal and they have been trying to make sure that the man does not stand trial.In Syria, the Saudi regime is presenting itself as the protector of the Syrian people and they appear to be behaving in that manner.In Bahrain they are concerned about the Eastern province of Saudi Arabia. They feel that any progress, any achievements made by Bahrainis are bond to reflect on the status of the Eastern province. /129
13 April 2012
In Bahrain, many peaceful protesters are still being killed after inhaling poisonous tear gas fired by Saudi-backed Bahraini security forces. The kingdom continues to hold hundreds of prisoners who have received unjust sentences as right activists are saying. Prominent Bahraini human rights activist Abdulhadi al-Khawaja who was arrested in April last year for participating in anti-regime protests and is now serving a life sentence for his role in the ongoing revolution, is believed to be in critical condition. Scores of people have been killed and hundreds more have been arrested in the brutal suppression of peaceful protesters by Saudi-backed Bahraini regime forces since anti-government protests began in the Persian Gulf kingdom in mid-February, 2011. Anti-regime demonstrators hold King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa responsible for the death of protesters during the popular uprising.