Bahrain arrests opposition leader; U.S. shrugs Comments Share to Facebook Share on Twitter Share on LinkedIn Add to PersonalPost Share via Email Print Article More By Editorial Board, Published: September 19 DURING A visit to Washington in February, Bahraini opposition leader Khalil al-Marzooq described for us how his al-Wefaqparty was seeking to bridge the growing polarization between the Persian Gulf nation’s Sunni ruling family and its restless, majority-Shiite population. In contrast to some of the groups that supported the popular uprising against the regime beginning in February 2011, al-Wefaq had firmly renounced violence and banned its members from advocating the overthrow or prosecution of the ruling al-Khalifa family. The party agreed to participate in a “national dialogue” with the government beginning in February, and Mr. Marzooq said its aim was a “power-sharing agreement” that would move the country toward constitutional monarchy. His words offered a glimmer of hope that Bahrain, a U.S. ally that hosts the U.S. Navy’s 5th Fleet, could achieve the political compromise that has eluded other Arab states since the 2011 revolutions. Since then, however, hard-liners on both sides have driven events. Anti-government demonstrations have grown more violent, several bombings have targeted police officers and a Sunni mosque, and the regime has responded with repressive measures, including a ban on demonstrations in the capital, a lawsuit aimed at outlawing a council of Shiite clerics and restrictions on contacts between opposition groups and foreign governments and organizations. washingtonpost/opinions/bahrain-arrests-opposition-leader-us-shrugs/2013/09/19/e58b21a6-2099-11e3-b73c-aab60bf735d0_story.html
Posted on: Wed, 25 Sep 2013 05:03:05 +0000
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