I think it is time for USA, and the west to do something. The tribal nomads not only are turning into Kings, and Lords,(thanks to you and the oil) but they are terrorising minorities in their countries, enough is enough.
r.hussein
IRAQ PULSE
إقرأ باللغة العربيةنبض العراق
Bahraini Shiite leader arrested
The arrest by Bahraini authorities of opposition Shiite National Accord Association leader Sheikh Ali Salman highlights a pattern of political behavior that prevails in the Middle East and naturally leads to social collapse and religious extremism.
Sheikh Salman was detained primarily on charges of establishing contacts with Iraqi Shiite parties, but the charges are unconvincing and do not justify the arrest of someone like Salman, a significant political figure for a section of Bahraini society. Amnesty International called for his immediate, unconditional release, arguing, “The detention of Sheikh Ali Salman is a flagrant violation of his right to freedom of expression, association and assembly.” For its part, the United Nations demanded the release of the Bahraini opposition leader through the Human Rights Commission.
The controversy over the legality of his detention may last awhile, and folds into a wider controversy prevailing in the region and increasingly taking on a sectarian form and leading to sharpening differences among people in the region.
In this regard, it is worth mentioning the lessons of Iraq over the past decade. There is a general belief in Iraq today that serious mistakes have been made, such as the marginalization of the Sunnis and blaming them for the repercussions of the regime of Saddam Hussein. These mistakes have left the Sunnis with feelings of bitterness, a sense of marginalization and politicalgrievances. All these have turned into a platform to challenge the government and voice exaggerated stories and claims.
This atmosphere, in which the criminal organization the Islamic State (IS) fought to destroy the Iraqi state under the pretext of protecting Sunnis from Shiites, has contributed to breeding extremism. IS definitely did not provide any protection for Sunnis. It has carried out acts of repression, torture and murder against them, leading about 2 million people, mostly Sunnis, to abandon their homes and towns.
The authorities in Bahrain have to deal with issues concerning the representation of a social group with utmost sensitivity, trying not to inflame the already tense relations between different sects in the country. The organization took advantage of these issues wrongly attributed to the Shiites to produce a favorable social environment for itself. The lack of political and historical awareness among the political class, as well as from the spread of corruption, individualism and poor management, all contributed to a situation confusing enough to allow this to happen. While the Iraqis are trying to rectify their mistakes, one-third of the country has fallen to IS.
All of this could have been prevented by openness to Sunnis at political, tribal or religious levels. Extremist organizations could have been isolated, preventing their rise and stopping them from enticing and misleading much of the population under the pretext of protecting the Sunnis. Today, Iraqis are asking themselves whether it is possible to solidify communication channels with moderate Sunnis and prevent tension by engaging leaders representing the "Sunni street," rather than simply handing over Sunni areas to IS.
However, this did not happen in Iraq, nor is it happening in Bahrain today. In both cases, there is no guarantee that society will re-establish cohesion or that breakdowns in the social order will never occur again in the absence of swift action against injustice. When justice is restored and the spirit of citizenship is promoted in the community, individuals enjoy equality and are less vulnerable to extremist ideas.
The arrest of Salman is a clear example of rulers insisting — under the slogan that each country is unique — on repeating their own and others' mistakes and producing more crises.
Read more: http://www.al-monitor.com/pulse/originals/2015/01/bahrain-arrest-sheikh-salman-iraq-sectarianism-shiite-sunni.html?utm_source=Al-Monitor+Newsletter+%5BEnglish%5D&utm_campaign=ab99054860-January_12_2015&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_28264b27a0-ab99054860-102373353#ixzz3OdiUpR9M
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