Obama Administration Approved $200M in Military Sales to Bahrain in Run-Up to Violent Crackdown[????

[KoKo]

WHAT IS GOING ON HERE? :shrug:

Obama Administration Approved $200M in Military Sales to Bahrain in Run-Up to Violent Crackdown

Newly released government data shows the Obama administration approved $200 million in military sales to Bahrain last year just months before the Gulf nation launched a violent crackdown on pro-democracy protesters. Part of the military sales involved the sale of rifles, shotguns and assault weapons. There have been a number of developments in Bahrain. Dozens of doctors and nurses were put on trial today for treating injured protesters. Two former Shiite lawmakers were tried on Sunday for calling for regime change. And a 20-year-old Bahraini poet has been sentenced to a year in prison. Ayat al-Gormezi was arrested earlier this year when she read a poem at a protest appealing for democratic rights and criticizing the monarchy.

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Soaring Costs of U.S. Involvement in Libya Set to Exceed $750 Million

A leaked Pentagon memo has revealed the cost of the U.S. military involvement in Libya is soaring and is set to soon exceed the Pentagon’s initial estimate of $750 million. In other Libya news, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission is examining whether Goldman Sachs and some other financial companies violated bribery laws in dealings with Libya’s sovereign-wealth fund.
http://www.democracynow.org/2011/6/9/obama_hides_meeting_with_top_bahraini
U.N.: May Deadliest Month for Afghanistan Civilians in Ongoing War

Newly released United Nations statistics show that at least 368 civilians died in Afghanistan in May, making it the deadliest month for civilians in the nearly decade-old war. The United Nations said it is concerned the civilian death toll will continue to increase over the summer. The United Nations also said militants were responsible for the vast majority of the deaths. Forty-five deaths were blamed on Afghan and NATO-led forces.
http://www.democracynow.org/2011/6/9/obama_hides_meeting_with_top_bahraini

[Tarheel_Dem]

1. "months before the crackdown". Did the Obama administration know

there would be "pro-democracy demonstrations"? Sounds like a lot of speculation to me, but that's what the PL is best at. :eyes:

[tekisui]

5. Why put pro-democracy in quotes?

We may have not known a violent crackdown was coming, but we knew they were an oppressive and brutal regime.

[uponit7771]

2. wow, another half truth obama bashing post

[boppers]

3. We need more of those.

Can't have too many, ya know.

[Citizen Worker]

4. Selling weapons is the only jobs program we have.

[KoKo]

7. It's starting to look like that. Our trade deficit with China is made up by "Arms Sales" to

countries we supposedly disagree with. In Bahrain's case...we park a lot of our "stuff" there...so we can't cross them...but it goes on and on and on.

[davidpdx]

6. The US sells arms to many friendly Arab states

Including UAE, Quatar and Bahrain which are part of the Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf. UAE just bought some fighter jets from the US last year.

I'm doing a business paper on UAE for my doctoral class.

[KoKo]

8. UAE is a very good friend of ours. Good luck on that paper...and

I hope you will "dig deep" but not jeopardize your doctorate...if you come up with some stuff that gives you shivers.