06-20-2016, 07:50 PM
*** 21-Jun-16 World View -- Iran threatens coup, after Bahrain revokes citizenship of Shia cleric
This morning's key headlines from GenerationalDynamics.com
****
**** Iran threatens coup, after Bahrain revokes citizenship of Shia cleric
****
![[Image: g110612.jpg]](http://www.GenerationalDynamics.com/ww2010/g110612.jpg)
Pearl Square in Manama, Bahrain, after March 15 2011 protests. The beautiful Pearl monument was torn down by the regime on March 18, because it was thought to be encouraging protests.
Bahrain has revoked the citizenship of the kingdom's most prominent
Shia cleric, Sheikh Isa Ahmed Qasim, accusing him of promoting
"sectarianism and violence."
Bahrain's population is 2/3 Shia Muslim, but the country is led by an
oppressive Sunni government closely allied with Saudi Arabia. In the
days following the "Arab Spring" protests in 2011, Bahrain's security
services overreacted with extremely violent and bloody massacres of
unarmed protesters, backed up by troops from Saudi Arabia. The
protests began in Bahrain on February 14, 2011. Dozens of protesters
were killed, over 1,600 were arrested, and thousands were injured.
According to a statement issued by Bahrain's government on
Monday:
[indent]<QUOTE>"Accordingly, the citizenship of Isa Ahmed Qasim has
been revoked. Ever since he received the Bahraini nationality,
Qasim has established organizations that follow an external
religious political authority, played a major role in creating an
extremist sectarian environment and worked on dividing the society
alongside sects and in accordance with subordination to his
orders.
Qasim has also adopted theocracy and emphasized on the absolute
allegiance to the Religious Clerics. Through his sermons and
“fatwas”, he exploited the religious pulpit for political purposes
to serve foreign interests. He also encouraged sectarianism and
violence. Qasim has kept his decisions and positions, which he
dictated as religious rituals, dependent on his continuous
communication with hostile foreign organizations and parties. In
addition, Qasim collected funds without complying with the
provisions of the law.
On several occasions, Isa Qasim has violated the supremacy of the
law by issuing edicts (fatwas) that affected the elections and its
processes. He influenced voters’ decisions using religious
sentiments. This extends to all aspects of public affairs,
undermining the rights of the people and the rule of law. He also
rallied many groups to prevent the issuance of the second section
of the Family Law (Jafari Section)."<END QUOTE>[/indent]
The phrase "to serve foreign interests" presumably refers to Iran and
Hezbollah. Although the 2011 protests were finally put down by
massacring the protesters, there have been sporadic protests since
then, and the Bahrain government evidently is afraid of a repeat of
2011's full scale anti-Sunni riots.
The government of Iran, which is an equally bloody regime that
massacres innocent protesters, issued a statement criticizing the
revoking of Qasim's citizenship, and appeared to threaten Bahrain's
government with a coup. The statement begins by reciting crimes of
Bahrain's regime, the same crimes that Iran's regime regularly
commits:
[indent]<QUOTE>"The oppressed Muslim nation of Bahrain had been under
the cruel, biased, unfair, and illegitimate regime of Al-Khalifa
for long years. Despite furious acts which included unashamedly
racist discrimination, arrest of their religious leaders,
imprisoning and torturing women and children, stripping
citizenship, violation of their rights without any qualms and
several other crimes, this patient people have exercised patience;
tightening the pressures has never distracted Bahraini people of
their non-violent approach. ...
Seemingly, the Al-Khalifa regime has underestimated and
misinterpreted the scope and magnitude of the public wrath;
encroachment of the religious leader's rights is definitely a sure
redline for the public the crossing of which would set the region
ablaze, leaving no alternative than resorting to armed resistance.
The consequences of the possible conflict would be beyond
estimation and would rewrite the history through toppling the
despotic regime. The supporters of the regime in Manama should
accept responsibility for legitimizing the brazen rulers of
Bahrain for any bloody confrontation."<END QUOTE>[/indent]
The last sentence can and will be interpreted as encouraging a coup
in Bahrain, and suggests that Iran would support a coup.
Iran's puppet terror organization, Lebanon-based Hezbollah, issued its
own threatening statement, criticizing Bahrain's action, and
"[calling] on the Bahrainis to decisively express their rage and
discontent in face of the regime's action against Sheikh Qasim."
Bahrain News Agency
and BBC and Mehr News (Tehran) and Al Manar (Beirut-Hezbollah)
****
**** Iran reacts to a series of repeated anti-Shia moves by Bahrain and Saudi Arabia
****
Normally, Iran is publicly silent about Bahrain's regime, lest it be
accused of meddling in Bahrain's affairs, and thereby inviting
outsiders to meddle in its own affairs. Furthermore, Bahrain's Shia
leaders prefer that Iran stay out, because they like to maintain the
public pretense that Iran is not supporting Bahrain's Shia
anti-government clerics.
However, the action of revoking the citizenship of Sheikh Isa Ahmed
Qasim appears to have been a kind of "last straw" for Iran, after a
series of actions by Saudi and Bahrain officials targeting Shia
leaders in their respective countries.
The most explosive action occurred in January, when Saudi Arabia
executed 47 alleged terrorists -- 46 Sunnis and one Shia, Mohammad
Baqir Nimr al-Nimr, Iran and Shias were infuriated because the
execution implied that Shia terrorism is equivalent to Sunni
terrorism. Iranian mobs firebombed the Saudi embassy in Tehran, and
attacked the consulate in Meshaad. Saudi Arabia and Iran broke
diplomatic relations as a result. Other Saudi allies followed suit.
( "18-Jan-16 World View -- Pakistan tries to mediate between Saudi Arabia and Iran"
)
Last month, Bahrain's courts sentenced Shia opposition leader Sheikh
Ali Salman, after he had been found guilty of charges relating to
"publicly inciting hatred, an act which disturbed public peace,
inciting non-compliance with the law and insulting public
institutions." Salman's Al Wefaq National Islamic Society issued a
statement calling the decision "an alarming politically-motivated
verdict [that] only deepens the political and constitutional crisis in
Bahrain."
Early last week, Bahrain's government shut down the Al Wefaq National
Islamic Society.
Then on Thursday, a Bahrain court sentenced eight people to 15-year
jail terms for forming a "terror group." They also had their
citizenships revoked, after convicting them of "establishing and
raising donations to fund a terror organization named 'Bahraini
Hezbollah'." The implication is that "Bahraini Hezbollah" is a terror
group funded by Iran.
Then on Monday, Bahrain revoked the citizenship of Sheikh Isa Ahmed
Qasim, Bahrain's leading Shia cleric, and a leader of the opposition.
Perhaps, under "normal" circumstances, this court action would have
been ignored by Iran and everyone else. But after so many actions of
the same kind, Iran's leaders may have felt they had to do SOMETHING,
and they made their veiled threat of a coup, even though they know
that an actual coup could lead to full-scale war between Iran and
Saudi Arabia. BBC (30-May)
and Al Wefaq (30-May) and Al Arabiya (17-Jun) and Press Tv (Tehran, 17-Jun)
KEYS: Generational Dynamics, Bahrain, Sheikh Isa Ahmed Qasim,
Iran, Hezbollah, Saudi Arabia, Mohammad Baqir Nimr al-Nimr,
Sheikh Ali Salman, Al Wefaq National Islamic Society,
Bahraini Hezbollah
Permanent web link to this article
Receive daily World View columns by e-mail
Contribute to Generational Dynamics via PayPal
John J. Xenakis
100 Memorial Drive Apt 8-13A
Cambridge, MA 02142
Phone: 617-864-0010
E-mail: john@GenerationalDynamics.com
Web site: http://www.GenerationalDynamics.com
Forum: http://www.gdxforum.com/forum
Subscribe to World View: http://generationaldynamics.com/subscribe
This morning's key headlines from GenerationalDynamics.com
- Iran threatens coup, after Bahrain revokes citizenship of Shia cleric
- Iran reacts to a series of repeated anti-Shia moves by Bahrain and Saudi Arabia
****
**** Iran threatens coup, after Bahrain revokes citizenship of Shia cleric
****
Pearl Square in Manama, Bahrain, after March 15 2011 protests. The beautiful Pearl monument was torn down by the regime on March 18, because it was thought to be encouraging protests.
Bahrain has revoked the citizenship of the kingdom's most prominent
Shia cleric, Sheikh Isa Ahmed Qasim, accusing him of promoting
"sectarianism and violence."
Bahrain's population is 2/3 Shia Muslim, but the country is led by an
oppressive Sunni government closely allied with Saudi Arabia. In the
days following the "Arab Spring" protests in 2011, Bahrain's security
services overreacted with extremely violent and bloody massacres of
unarmed protesters, backed up by troops from Saudi Arabia. The
protests began in Bahrain on February 14, 2011. Dozens of protesters
were killed, over 1,600 were arrested, and thousands were injured.
According to a statement issued by Bahrain's government on
Monday:
[indent]<QUOTE>"Accordingly, the citizenship of Isa Ahmed Qasim has
been revoked. Ever since he received the Bahraini nationality,
Qasim has established organizations that follow an external
religious political authority, played a major role in creating an
extremist sectarian environment and worked on dividing the society
alongside sects and in accordance with subordination to his
orders.
Qasim has also adopted theocracy and emphasized on the absolute
allegiance to the Religious Clerics. Through his sermons and
“fatwas”, he exploited the religious pulpit for political purposes
to serve foreign interests. He also encouraged sectarianism and
violence. Qasim has kept his decisions and positions, which he
dictated as religious rituals, dependent on his continuous
communication with hostile foreign organizations and parties. In
addition, Qasim collected funds without complying with the
provisions of the law.
On several occasions, Isa Qasim has violated the supremacy of the
law by issuing edicts (fatwas) that affected the elections and its
processes. He influenced voters’ decisions using religious
sentiments. This extends to all aspects of public affairs,
undermining the rights of the people and the rule of law. He also
rallied many groups to prevent the issuance of the second section
of the Family Law (Jafari Section)."<END QUOTE>[/indent]
The phrase "to serve foreign interests" presumably refers to Iran and
Hezbollah. Although the 2011 protests were finally put down by
massacring the protesters, there have been sporadic protests since
then, and the Bahrain government evidently is afraid of a repeat of
2011's full scale anti-Sunni riots.
The government of Iran, which is an equally bloody regime that
massacres innocent protesters, issued a statement criticizing the
revoking of Qasim's citizenship, and appeared to threaten Bahrain's
government with a coup. The statement begins by reciting crimes of
Bahrain's regime, the same crimes that Iran's regime regularly
commits:
[indent]<QUOTE>"The oppressed Muslim nation of Bahrain had been under
the cruel, biased, unfair, and illegitimate regime of Al-Khalifa
for long years. Despite furious acts which included unashamedly
racist discrimination, arrest of their religious leaders,
imprisoning and torturing women and children, stripping
citizenship, violation of their rights without any qualms and
several other crimes, this patient people have exercised patience;
tightening the pressures has never distracted Bahraini people of
their non-violent approach. ...
Seemingly, the Al-Khalifa regime has underestimated and
misinterpreted the scope and magnitude of the public wrath;
encroachment of the religious leader's rights is definitely a sure
redline for the public the crossing of which would set the region
ablaze, leaving no alternative than resorting to armed resistance.
The consequences of the possible conflict would be beyond
estimation and would rewrite the history through toppling the
despotic regime. The supporters of the regime in Manama should
accept responsibility for legitimizing the brazen rulers of
Bahrain for any bloody confrontation."<END QUOTE>[/indent]
The last sentence can and will be interpreted as encouraging a coup
in Bahrain, and suggests that Iran would support a coup.
Iran's puppet terror organization, Lebanon-based Hezbollah, issued its
own threatening statement, criticizing Bahrain's action, and
"[calling] on the Bahrainis to decisively express their rage and
discontent in face of the regime's action against Sheikh Qasim."
Bahrain News Agency
and BBC and Mehr News (Tehran) and Al Manar (Beirut-Hezbollah)
****
**** Iran reacts to a series of repeated anti-Shia moves by Bahrain and Saudi Arabia
****
Normally, Iran is publicly silent about Bahrain's regime, lest it be
accused of meddling in Bahrain's affairs, and thereby inviting
outsiders to meddle in its own affairs. Furthermore, Bahrain's Shia
leaders prefer that Iran stay out, because they like to maintain the
public pretense that Iran is not supporting Bahrain's Shia
anti-government clerics.
However, the action of revoking the citizenship of Sheikh Isa Ahmed
Qasim appears to have been a kind of "last straw" for Iran, after a
series of actions by Saudi and Bahrain officials targeting Shia
leaders in their respective countries.
The most explosive action occurred in January, when Saudi Arabia
executed 47 alleged terrorists -- 46 Sunnis and one Shia, Mohammad
Baqir Nimr al-Nimr, Iran and Shias were infuriated because the
execution implied that Shia terrorism is equivalent to Sunni
terrorism. Iranian mobs firebombed the Saudi embassy in Tehran, and
attacked the consulate in Meshaad. Saudi Arabia and Iran broke
diplomatic relations as a result. Other Saudi allies followed suit.
( "18-Jan-16 World View -- Pakistan tries to mediate between Saudi Arabia and Iran"
)
Last month, Bahrain's courts sentenced Shia opposition leader Sheikh
Ali Salman, after he had been found guilty of charges relating to
"publicly inciting hatred, an act which disturbed public peace,
inciting non-compliance with the law and insulting public
institutions." Salman's Al Wefaq National Islamic Society issued a
statement calling the decision "an alarming politically-motivated
verdict [that] only deepens the political and constitutional crisis in
Bahrain."
Early last week, Bahrain's government shut down the Al Wefaq National
Islamic Society.
Then on Thursday, a Bahrain court sentenced eight people to 15-year
jail terms for forming a "terror group." They also had their
citizenships revoked, after convicting them of "establishing and
raising donations to fund a terror organization named 'Bahraini
Hezbollah'." The implication is that "Bahraini Hezbollah" is a terror
group funded by Iran.
Then on Monday, Bahrain revoked the citizenship of Sheikh Isa Ahmed
Qasim, Bahrain's leading Shia cleric, and a leader of the opposition.
Perhaps, under "normal" circumstances, this court action would have
been ignored by Iran and everyone else. But after so many actions of
the same kind, Iran's leaders may have felt they had to do SOMETHING,
and they made their veiled threat of a coup, even though they know
that an actual coup could lead to full-scale war between Iran and
Saudi Arabia. BBC (30-May)
and Al Wefaq (30-May) and Al Arabiya (17-Jun) and Press Tv (Tehran, 17-Jun)
KEYS: Generational Dynamics, Bahrain, Sheikh Isa Ahmed Qasim,
Iran, Hezbollah, Saudi Arabia, Mohammad Baqir Nimr al-Nimr,
Sheikh Ali Salman, Al Wefaq National Islamic Society,
Bahraini Hezbollah
Permanent web link to this article
Receive daily World View columns by e-mail
Contribute to Generational Dynamics via PayPal
John J. Xenakis
100 Memorial Drive Apt 8-13A
Cambridge, MA 02142
Phone: 617-864-0010
E-mail: john@GenerationalDynamics.com
Web site: http://www.GenerationalDynamics.com
Forum: http://www.gdxforum.com/forum
Subscribe to World View: http://generationaldynamics.com/subscribe
