'Bahrain's fall to be disaster for US'

Bahraini doctors march outside a hospital in protest a crackdown on a pro-democracy protest camp in the capital's Pearl Square on February 17, 2011 in Manama, Bahrain

Source: Press TV
http://www.presstv.ir/detail/165776.html

A former Lebanese minister, Essam Naaman, says that the Bahraini regime's fall will be tantamount to 'disaster' for the United States.

The oil-rich Bahrain is home to US' Navy's Fifth Fleet. Also because of its strategic location in the Persian Gulf, it is very important for the US strategy in the area, Naaman stated.

If the Bahraini regime falls, he said, it will be a disaster to the American policy in the Middle East and its long-term strategy, Naaman told Press TV on Thursday.

The Fifth Fleet is a shield for American forces against many countries, “especially Iran,” he said. “The Fleet is here to spy on Iran and control the Strait of Hormoz.” So these are failures for the American policy in the region, Naaman said.

Naaman said that there are long-time grievances in the country. Now after the pre-dawn attacks on peaceful pro-democracy protesters on Thursday, many of the parliamentarians have resigned in a show of protest against the violent crackdown.

After the violent crackdown against demonstrators, eighteen members of Bahrain's parliament resigned from their posts on Thursday in a show of protest.

The lawmakers announced that they have suspended their membership in parliament over the killings of Shia demonstrators, Press TV cited an unnamed opposition parliamentarian as saying.

The magnitude of the pro-democracy protests in Bahrain is unprecedented in the history of the Persian Gulf kingdom and the authorities' efforts to quell them have so far been ineffective.

The demonstrators are demanding a new constitution that would move the country toward democracy and limit the king's powers.

Bahrain is ruled by a royal family, who are blamed for discrimination against the country's Shia population -- comprising 70 percent of the population.

Protesters have also called on the Bahraini king to fire his uncle, Khalifa bin Salman al-Khalifa, who has been the country's prime minister since 1971