From Bahrain to Saudi - Cracks Appearing

By now virtually everyone on the planet has heard of the revolutions in Tunisia and Egypt as well as the pro-democracy movements in several Arab countries.

One of the more vicious government reactions to these protests has been that of Bahrain. The government sent in the military which proceeded to brutally fire on the crowds with live ammunition. These military thugs were shooting to kill, generating many head and upper body injuries. In fact, the first two protesters killed were SHOT IN THE BACK!!!

So far there are at least 5 deaths and thousands of injuries reported.The bulk of the wounded are taken to the Salmaniya Medical Complex, which is struggling to cope with the volume of wounded.Doctors are appealing for medical supplies...

Keep in mind that Bahrain has a total security force of 20,000 and a population of almost 800,000 people. Additionally, and unlike Egypt, the military is reviled because it is made up of foreign expats from countries like Yemen, Jordan and Pakistan. They are MERCENARIES.

Yesterday the Gulf Cooperation Council (whose member states are Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Qatar, Bahrain and Oman) said they will go as far as using military force to protect the Bahraini regime and insure that protests don't spread to their countries. Oh and by the way , they sit on 45% of the world's crude oil reserves.

Today there are reports of Saudi military convoys entering Bahrain through the bridge that links the two countries. In this YouTube video, at the 0:50 mark, a driver captures part of the military convoy zooming past the traffic in a dedicated lane:




The unrest has spread to Saudi Arabia where today a small group of Saudi Shiites protested in the eastern province town of Awwamiya asking for the release of shiite political detainees who are being held in prison without trial.

Here is a YouTube video showing the small group of protesters and the line of police vehicles driving towards them as is captured by the driver:




Also today, Reuters is reporting that:

JEDDAH, Feb 19 (Reuters) - Saudi authorities have detained several activists who tried to set up the kingdom's first political party, human rights activists said on Saturday.

The top oil exporter and U.S. ally is an absolute monarchy that does not tolerate any form of public dissent, does not have an elected parliament or any political parties.

Saudi Islamists and opposition activists this month launched a political party called the "Islamic Umma" in a rare challenge to authority inspired by unrest triggering regime change in Tunisia and Egypt.

"There are four in custody now. Five were arrested, two were outside the country and the others were questioned and released," said Mohammed al-Qahtani, a Riyadh-based activist and head of the Saudi Civil and Political Rights Association, who has been following the case.

By the way Jeddah is all the way on other side of the country in the western province on the Red Sea. It's inhabitants are almost 100% Sunni, not Shiite.

IT'S ON.