GIVEN THE CIVIL WAR in Libya and serial massacres of opposition demonstrators in Syria , it’s not surprising that another ugly campaign of repression, in the Persian Gulf emirate of Bahrain, hasn’t gotten much attention. In its own way, however, Bahrain could prove crucial to the outcome of this year’s Arab uprisings — and to whether it advances or damages the strategic interests of the United States.
Bahrain is host to the U.S. 5th Fleet, which patrols the Persian Gulf and is vital to the containment of Iran. But the island’s ruling al-Khalifa family, which has long been closely allied with the United States, is ignoring the objections of the Obama administration by systematically persecuting those who joined a pro-democracy movement earlier this year. Since the crackdown began March 14 more than 800 people have been arrested, mostly from the majority Shiite community; many have been tortured and four have died in custody. More than 1,000 people have been fired from their jobs in a country of 700,000. Government employeees are being pressured to sign oaths of loyalty to the Sunni regime.
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