Bahrain wants early warning of any move on Iran

[sabra]

Source: reuters

LONDON (Reuters) - International tension over Iran poses a serious threat to Bahrain's security and the Gulf kingdom wants its allies to give it early warning of any planned escalation, its public security chief said on Wednesday.

Major General Abdul Latif bin Rashid Al Zayani was apparently referring to the possibility of U.S. military action against Tehran's nuclear program.

"The level of tension currently concerning Iran is a further significant threat," he said in a speech in London to the Royal United Services Institute, a security think-tank.

"Should the situation deteriorate, there will be a major impact in Bahrain, where a proportion of our Shia population follow Iran's religious leadership blindly and apparently without question."

Zayani added: "In this connection and more generally, it is important to say that the actions of our allies often influence threat levels in Bahrain. As partners we ask, rather in hope than in expectation, that we are consulted or at least given early warning of major escalation or other actions" that could have an internal impact on the kingdom, he said.

Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/topNews/idUSL2544957720080625

[NightWatcher]

1. Bahrain can watch CNN like the rest of us

[elehhhhna]

3. Or call Prnce Bandar. He knew we'd invaded Iraq before COLIN POWELL was told.

[LynnTheDem]

2. Funny how it isn't Iran making all the war threats.

Funny too how under international law (not even to mention the bUsh regime doctrine of "preemptive self-defense") Iran has the legal right to attack in self-defense.

But then, Iran has always had the legal "inalienable right" under the NPT to produce nuclear energy, and that too just gets "misnoticed" by the US & Israeli regimes.

[Ghost Dog]

7. Reality Perception is 'off the table' in mainstream USA, LynnTheDem,

as well you know.

[JerseygirlCT]

4. That makes sense for them.

Bahrain has a large Shia population, and things could easily get hairy for their rulers should we initiate war with Iran.

But wouldn't we all like warning before they do this?

[InkAddict]

5. Corporate disaster planning needs a jump on the timetable?

What are they gonna do? Move the island?

So, without advance warning, it's "Uh, Houston we've got a problem." Come in Houston. Houston's not answering...oh, sh**t and we didn't order enough TP. Wouldn't want the left hand to not know what the RIGHT hand is doing; couldn't imagine the big Dick wouldn't tell 'em though.

[Shipwack]

9. Move the island? No...

But if they were sufficiently pissed off they could make things unpleasant for our base and ships there... It depends on which way the Saudis jump if/when things go down; Bahrain is a small country (about the size of Washington DC), and they can't afford to buck Saudi Arabia too much.

[pollard66]

6. supposedly Israel wants to attack after the 2008 elections

and before the inaugural so as not to effect the process

[ohio2007]

8. Does Bahrain's banks need to transfer funds?

they must have a guilty conscience