Bahrain has been in the news over the last year or so for largely negative reasons – shooting and tear-gassing peaceful protestors that were fighting for the so-called quintessentially American value of democracy.

The Guardian reports that at least 30 protestors have been killed, more than 500 people detained, and up to 2,000 people have been dismissed or suspended from work – almost all of them Shia.

But, unlike Syria and Libya, Bahrain has never been subject to Western sanctions and bombs.

The question is why…

Bahrain is a Shia-majority country, but ruled by Sunni Khalifas.  The US supports the latter because it fears that if democracy had its day, Shia Iran would create a satellite state in their Western-alleged move for ‘regional dominance’.

Fear of Iran is why the US continues to support Sunni Prince Khalifa bin Salman al-Khalifa, who has ruled since 1971, and now serves as the world’s longest-serving unelected prime minister.

Fear of Iran is also why the US supports Bahrain’s monarchical King, who has unleashed his security forces on peaceful, democracy-seeking protestors.

We also shouldn’t forget that Bahrain is home to the US navy’s fifth fleet.  This is why, in 2002, George Bush deemed Bahrain a significant non-Nato ally and why Hilary Clinton, in 2011, called it  a ‘model partner’.

A ‘model partner’, of course, that’s as un-American as it gets!