Bahrain...

[Mystic]

What do you guys think about what's going on Bahrain? Does it seem hypocritical that the western governments support the Monarchy there, but emphasize on democracy in Syria?

[festive1]

But Bahrain is on our side in terms of reporting terrorists... We put up with a lot if they turn in the terrorists...
Personally, I'm pissed at Bahrain at the moment. They turned in one of my husband's colleagues as a "terrorist." He's not a terrorist, he gives money to democratic, non-government agencies throughout the Middle East (his job), but because of the uprisings they've had recently they turned him in to US intelligence as funding terrorists. I guess if you call giving money to pro-democratic, Islamic groups then he's a terrorist, but the Bahraini government is just pissed about the uprisings (that were admittedly aided by the efforts of these groups that the agency my husband works for is funding). All of the guy's finances have been frozen, no one can get any info about what's happening (even the State Department and the Senate oversight committee), and there's no legal recourse as US Homeland Security operates outside of the legal system... It's just shit. Land of the Free, my ass.

[frankiej]

I am beyond giving a shit about the world now.

[Minimalist]

We usually support despots we like.

Democracy is terribly messy....especially in places where the inhabitants think it gives them the right to throw rocks at the head of anyone who disagrees with them.

It may take the fuckers another five centuries to work that part out and I don't think they have that long.

[CapnAwesome]

What do you guys think about what's going on Bahrain? Does it seem hypocritical that the western governments support the Monarchy there, but emphasize on democracy in Syria?

If hypocrisy was water, we'd all be drowning. I haven't been able to make sense of our foreign policy for quite some time.

[Something completely different]

if you leave the oil out of the equasion, what`s the difference between a wahabi saudi satilite dictator and a radical shia iranian satilite dictator?
once the oil finaly get`s out of the equasion, theres a german saying: "Let the wolves rip each other appart (while the lambs watch)"

[cratehorus]

What do you guys think about what's going on Bahrain? Does it seem hypocritical that the western governments support the Monarchy there, but emphasize on democracy in Syria?

Bahrain is far from a US ally, the have a mutual enemy al-queda but that's it, Bahrain offered Saddam Hussein political asylum a few days before the 2003 invasion.

Also, the "arab spring" has spread from Morrocco to Indonesia, and beyond. There is no real structure for any foreign government to rely on, in Bahrain, if the monarchy is truly abolished, the Libyans were very well organized, Egypt had the support of the Muslim Brotherhood, as well as the military who didn't want any war with any nation, and just wanted to protect the people of Egypt.

The Free Syrian Army, is wealthy, well armed and has existed for years, yet we don't support them (officially, anyway). Syria has 23 million people and it neighbors Iraq. Bahrain only has 1 million people, so why should Nato invade there, and not Nigeria, Oman, or Nepal?

Or support, a Jasmine Revolution in China?
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/02/24/world/....html?_r=0

Or, Europe
http://rt.com/news/greece-eurozone-exit-revolution-117/

Or, in America
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/bob-burnet...23748.html