Arabia Flambe

Sadeghi’s take on Bahrain

An in-depth and worthwhile article in Al Jazeera by Shirin Sadeghi, which is nevertheless partially retrograde in its analysis.  Yes, sectarianism is promoted as the root cause of the troubles in Bahrain by many actors, not least the Bahrainis and Saudis, for their own cynical reasons.  However, suggesting that colonialism is the root cause–that Britain and America are the primary villains–is a step backward.  The ongoing Arab Revolt is increasingly successful because the Arabs in the revolutionary countries have, for the first time, taken responsibility for their own governance.  For the first time, they have said to hell with foreign conspiracy theories and outmoded ideas of the survival of colonialism, and, recognizing that their oppressors are their own, they have eliminated them.

Still, this is an insightful and well-written article by a native Iowan of Iranian ethnic stock.  We can learn something from Intricacies of Bahrain’s Shia-Sunni divide

Al Jazeera’s story of Bahrain’s own Arab revolt

It is difficult to watch this brutal story and conclude that the example of the Egyptian and Syrian non-violent revolts will work in Bahrain.  There comes a point, as it did in the American colonies in the late 18th century, when armed revolt is justified. 

Ghandi would not have approved; a Buddhist would not approve.  But, other than martyrdom, oppression and torture, what is the alternative?

And where is the western pressure, the American sanctions, against this regime?

Bahrain: Shouting in the Dark

Not from Al Jazeera . . . from CNN!

All kudos to Al Jazeera for Middle Eastern news–EXCEPT for serious news from Qatar, Saudi or Bahrain.  Yes, we are now dependent on Amber Lyon and her CNN team for a picture of Bahraini reality.

Veterans of the Middle East may at first cringe a little at the blonde, wide-eyed Amber, sitting all by herself in the big airplane, heading to Manama.  But watch and listen to the whole story.  She’s a professional journalist.  She has guts.  Watch not only the ‘story’, but the back story.  Yes, it’s her first time in this kind of situation, but she got through it and came back with the real story and told it.

Kudos for CNN and for the journalist Amber Lyon.  And shame on Hilary, Obama, and the US government.

Nabeel Rajab on the situation in Bahrain

American double-standards prevail on the southern shore of the Gulf, as Mark Levine and Nabeel Rajab make clear.  Kudos for Al Jazeera publishing this material, but where is the live news story, direct from Manama?

The West’s ‘double standards’ in Middle East – Opinion – Al Jazeera English.