A U.S. double-standard for Bahrain?

Bahraini anti-government protesters react as riot police throw sound bombs at their feet to disperse them Friday, Feb. 17, 2012, in Qadam, Bahrain, just outside of the capital of Manama. Two Western activists were arrested along with at least one Bahraini woman during the march.

/ AP Photo/Hasan Jamali

Last Updated 4:52 p.m. ET

MANAMA, Bahrain - Screaming at the riot police, dozens of women dressed head-to-toe in black excoriated the police for dragging away a teenage boy. The police, dressed in shiny white helmets and black flak jackets, held their billy clubs in check. A policeman with a megaphone finally dispersed the crowd, threatening them with jail if they stayed.

The boy was allegedly picked up by plainclothes officers for organizing a protest.

"Welcome to living under a dictatorship," said a young Bahraini-American, an architect from Ohio who was back in Bahrain for the one-year anniversary of the uprisings here.

Those uprisings didn't result in a regime change, the way many of the protests in the Arab Spring did, but they did raise an uncomfortable question for the United States: How long can the U.S. maintain close ties with a regime accused of human rights violations?

At least 35 people were killed during protests in February-March 2011, according to Amnesty International. More than 20 have died since then in the ongoing protests; dozens of people have been reportedly tortured.

The protesters are mainly Shia Muslims, who make up 70 percent of the population but are shut out of almost all government posts. The Sunni al Khalifa family has ruled Bahrain for more than 200 years, with King Hamad bin Isa al Khalifa holding nearly complete control of the country.

Bahrain has cracked down on allowing foreign and independent journalists in the country, recently detaining reporters from CBS, NBC, ABC, CNN, Reuters, the Associated Press, and the BBC for several hours before letting them into the country.

Reporters were not allowed to bring in their cameras, satellite phones, or satellite transmission equipment. The equipment was seized at the airport by customs officials, and only given back after the journalists left the country.

Unlike the rulers in Egypt, Libya and Syria, the U.S. has not called for King al Khalifa to step down. The State Department has instead issued a much milder rebuke, asking Bahrain to "exercise restraint and operate within the rule of law and international judicial standards."

U.S. Navy Religious Program Specialist 2nd Class Calvin Do, left, Yeoman 1st Class Leviticus McNeal, background, and Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Russell Smith render honors to the American flag being flown at half-mast outside the U.S. Naval Forces Central Command and U.S. 5th Fleet headquarters in Manama, Bahrain, March 15, 2011.

/ MC1 Cynthia De Leon/US Navy

"They are a long-term partner and a very important piece of our ability to do our mission," said Vice-Admiral Mark Fox, the commander of the Navy's Fifth Fleet, which is based in Bahrain.

"Our countries have many shared strategic interests and a relationship that includes decades of working together to defend regional security," Secretary of State Hillary Clinton stated in November 2011. "In this context, it is essential for Bahrainis themselves to resolve the issues identified in the report and move forward in a way that promotes reform, reconciliation and stability."

Some members of Congress have proposed blocking funds to Bahrain in response to government actions against protesters. Last October, after Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., and Rep. Jim McGovern, D-Mass., introduced a resolution blocking a $53 million arms sale to Bahrain. TheState Department said it would consider a special investigation of alleged human rights abuses in the kingdom before moving ahead with the sale.

However, earlier this month Foreign Policy reported that the Obama administration was going ahead with an arms deal, prompting 24 Members of Congress to write to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton voicing their opposition to the "sale of all military items and services to Bahrain until there is more substantive and permanent progress on human rights."

Holding up arms deals may be a precursor to a more serious evaluation of the U.S.-Bahrain partnership, as expressed by Shaikh Khalifa bin Ahmed al Khalifa, commander of the Bahrain Defense Forces and a member of the royal family.

"Today, the world is open," al Khalifa said. "There are many states such as Russia and China that possess good weapons."

Al Khalifa also had harsh words for his countrymen who are protesting the regime: "Such acts that take place in Bahrain are classified as security clashes and are within the concept of terrorist acts. However, I assure you that the remnants of those groups are finished, both politically and in the field."

Bahraini men are detained Tuesday, Feb. 14, 2012, in Manama, Bahrain, where police stopped motorists entering the capital, checking identification and arresting young men from several cars.

/ AP Photo/Hasan Jamali

[mideastuday]

I want to respond to the previous comments that have lumped Bahrain in with Syria, Libya and the rest of the "arab spring" Living here you realize that each country is different. Syria is not Bahrain. Bahrain is not Syria. The US policy towards Syria can not be the same as Bahrain. Bahrainis have our own identity and deserve to be treated with respect.

[smittyc]

I don't live there. We are not muslims. The people starting all the trouble in the world are the human rights activist. Let them go and fight if they have such concern. Lets start with the 24 House members who wrote the letter. Give em a rifle and some ammo and drop them in by parachute.

[Lillyish]

Everyone's selling Bahrain weapons. Now the F1 is returning with all proceeds going to the ruling family and friends. More money, more arms bought. Wonderful for all concerned except the majority of citizens in the country.

The head of the non-sectarian Wa'ad party who took part in protests has been imprisoned for 5 years. He's Sunni. Many unionists who have been fighting the government for workers' rights for years are Sunni. However, no matter what the truth is on the ground, the Bahrain ruling family and its supporters continue to point the finger at Iran being behind the protests. As protestors have said to me "Why would we want to replace one dictatorship with another?" But the governments highly paid western PR machine will continue to bring in Iran. Smoke and mirrors.

[fedup12]

a good thing. Maybe we are finally keeping our noses out of outher peoples business. If Syrias neighbors want to deal with it LET THEM.

[julianpenrod]

Several points ned to be made about the Bahrain situation, the associated Syria issue and the entire matter of Middle East interactions.
Among other thigs, for all the blather about human rights and leaning on Syria for laying miltiary seige to the revbel held city of Homs, if Iraqi insurgents holed up in a town, how long do you think the Allied forces would have held off from moving in and slaughtering them? How long do they hold off before sending in Predtor drones now? And cosndier the craven acceptance of Israel's 120 to 1 attrition ratio in dealing with Palestinians, their contempt for killing children and noncombatants and their use of illegal white phosphorus to annihilate popuilations. And don't forget the bloody eagerness with which the criminals of NATO mercilessly bombed the city of Tripoli.
Incidentally, the transparent policy of aiding the Libya terrorists thoroughly puts the lie to Bush quisling Clinton's opine about it being "essential for Bahrainis themselves to resolve these issues".
And, face it, for the drooling dim-wit plurality, if not majority, that the New World Order sees as fit to be "beasts of burden", the limited coverage of Bahrain and the atrocities against civilians there makes it effectively "non-existent". For the dullards, there is a certain level of coverage that makes a situation outside their own neighborhood come into existence. That includes reference on evening broadcasts of news on major network and cable stations, but it must also have daily updates to make up for the dullards' inability to maintain any idea other than eating, taking drugs or playing video games for any length of time. Bahrain does not yet meet that, so, for the plurality if not the majority, it is not happening. It was that way with Syria until after the CIA/Mossad/MI-5 operation in Libya was over. It will come as a total surprise and they will ask, "How long has this been going on?"

[cbs_bull]

I don't think a double-standard foreign policy is something new for the U.S.. Each country puts its own interests first in this world. We got to protect ours too. But we also promote freedom whenever we can.

[rsoxfan1123]

Shia muslims are generally more dedicated to the destruction of christians than Sunni muslims. Allowing them control of this country would be dangerous for christians, Americans and Israel.

[erpicferl]

BS how many wars has Iran started in the lasdt 500 years? ZERO

who attacked us on 9-11? Sunnis

who was Saddam Hussein? a Sunni

who is supporting the taliban? not the Shia, but the Sunnis in pakistan...

get your facts right next time.

[Lillyish]

I must agree with erpicferl below. History does show that the majority of violence does appear to be carried out by Sunnis as opposed to Shia. However, Assad is Shia. Being an abusive dictator appears to be independent of sect.

[imawombat]

It is about time that major media at least cast a glance Bahrain's way. You failed to mention that Obama is selling the despotic king weapons - yes, weapons - which he will use against Bahraini citizens under the noses of our naval command. Why? Because we consider the base there strategic for our ability to launch an attack against Iran, which lies just across the Persian Gulf from Bahrain. A more in-depth investigation, please... but yes, it's a start.

[delrepublica]

THANK YOU CBS!!!!

For once, a major news organization that doesn't point out the government's hypocrisy in dealing with the Middle East!