Bahraini protesters have been clashing
with police nightly, suggesting a possible resurgence of the
anti-monarchy rebellion that was crushed earlier this year by a Saudi
Arabian invasion.
On Aug. 31, hundreds of protesters
attempted to reoccupy Pearl Square in Manama, the capital. Riot
police used buses and tear gas to stop the reentry as protesters
tried to push through the police lines. In Sitra, a funeral was held
for a 14-year-old boy who was killed by the police. Those in the
funeral procession chanted “down with the regime,” and “more
protests.”
Shiite politicians are ready to boycott
the elections on Sept. 24 due to the government’s refusal to
address their demands for an equal political voice and an end to the
monarchy’s ability to appoint the government.
Unlike its policy toward Libya and Syria, the United States continues
to support the Sunni monarchy of Bahrain. The Bahraini puppet regime
hosts the U.S. 5th Fleet
and is important to Western military domination of the region.
