Holy Smokes! The Saudis are in Bahrain

Protests for reform toppled governments in Egypt and Tunisia, and continue to pressure governments throughout the region. But regimes in Libya, Iran and Bahrain are fighting back. Writing for the Daily Star, Rami G. Khouri notes that entry of Saudi and Emirati troops into Bahrain to assist a Sunni regime in subduing Shiite protests raises many concerns: The intervention could heighten Shiite-Sunni tensions, strengthen Iran’s standing in the region and strengthen protesters’ resolve to endure violent attacks. “This battle has been defined by Iranian-Syrian-led regional defiance against and resistance to American-Israeli-Arab conservatism,” Khouri writes. The US, a Saudi ally with a base in Bahrain, was not informed in advance. Urging restraint and negotiations, the US had become a marginal player in region with inconsistent policies. Citizens in Arab nations increasingly resent that oil and security interests take precedence over human rights in the Middle East. – YaleGlobal