Bahrain

US Investigates Human Rights Abuse in Bahrain

The United States is waiting to negotiate a $53 million arms deal with Bahrain due to reports of human rights abuse. U.S. senators have stated that the finalization of the arms deal with Bahrain could potentially weaken US efforts to bring democracy to the Middle East and would jeopardize US credibility. On October 30, the US State Department is expected to release a plan that explains the procedures of dealing with the civil rights of Sunni protestors in a Shia-majority state.

Mark Toner has stated that the arms deal would provide Bahrain with guns for external defense purposes. If the United States were to finalize the arms deal without a prior investigation of the treatment of Sunni protestors, this would put the United States in a compromising position. It would look like we were supplying ammunition to the human rights abuse that is under way in Bahrain. However, blocking the arms deal would result in the usage of missiles and combat vehicles, according to Jim McGovern. In other words, if the arms deal were to fall through because of the investigation, the alliance between the United States and Bahrain would be at risk. The United States has to proceed with the investigation, but make the approach as democratic and negotiable as possible, preferably without the combat vehicles.

Liberal

http://english.aljazeera.net/news/middleeast/2011/10/201110195135134310.html

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-15368120

October 19, 2011 at 12:53 pm