Bahrain deploys national guard to crackdown on protests - Polidicks

[IMG]http://www.calgaryherald.com/news/7530423.bin?size=620x400s[/IMG] [QUOTE]MANAMA, Bahrain - Bahrain's paramilitary National Guard deployed into new areas around the violence-wracked Gulf nation Saturday in an apparent sign that authorities are stepping up efforts to quell political unrest. Wider use of the Guard could signal a tougher strategy by Bahrain's Sunni embattled monarchy as riot police struggle to contain the Shiite majority's 21-month uprising. A government statement said the Guard — a force separate from the regular military — will be patrolling "strategic locations" that have been scenes of arson attacks and clashes. Hadi al-Musawi, a spokesman for the main opposition group Al Wefaq, said Guard troops were seen setting up in Sitra, a centre of the revolt. Previously, Guard forces have been used mainly at key sites in the capital Manama, including the landmark square that was the centre of the protests in their first weeks. Meanwhile, heavy clashes erupted Saturday after the funeral of a teenager killed in a traffic incident during a clampdown on marchers the day before. Opposition groups claim the boy was hit by a car while fleeing security forces, but officials say the incident had no connection to the police action. More than 55 people have died in unrest in Bahrain, which is home to the U.S. Navy's 5th Fleet. [/QUOTE] [URL="http://www.calgaryherald.com/news/Opposition+Bahrains+National+Guard+deploys+back+police+against/7530422/story.html"]source[/URL]

What is this unrest about?

This sort of thing sounds all too familiar.

Welp, time to see if the pattern repeats itself in an American ally, if it's at all possible.

[QUOTE=Scrimp;38399543]What is this unrest about?[/QUOTE] [QUOTE]MANAMA, Bahrain - Bahrain's paramilitary National Guard deployed into new areas around the violence-wracked Gulf nation Saturday in an apparent sign that authorities are stepping up efforts to quell political unrest.[/QUOTE] [url]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bahraini_uprising_%282011%E2%80%93present%29[/url]

[QUOTE=Scrimp;38399543]What is this unrest about?[/QUOTE] the native people of bahrain are sunni, as are the royal family. descendants of long-time immigrants from iran (a shia majority country) make up most bahrainis today. sunni bahrainis are like 'nu-uh this isnt even your native homeland' and shia bahrainis are like 'we shouldnt live under sunni rule'. this particular movement has been associated with the arab spring but its totally different. in other countries you have a movement to bring down tyrannic dictators - this one's a bunch of teenagers setting tires on fire. the bahraini police aren't (supposed to) fire on protestors, and from what i know from people who currently live there (sunni AND shia) protestors are given plenty warning from police before tear gas/etc is deployed. but of course you have idiots on both sides so some bahraini police blocked protestors from getting medical aid and tortured people, but the king isnt instrumental in any of it like bashar al assad is. on the other hand, the protestors have done stupid shit like trash an entire university in a riot and threaten the female students inside. in short: shia people dont like the sunni king, sunni police and shia immigrants are getting hostile with one another, and most media outlets have gone out of their way to make this complicated situation fit in the 'arab spring' mold.