Obama's Bahrain Retreat: A Strategic Cave-In

In 2011, the Obama administration faced a dilemma in Bahrain, where pro-democracy protests by the majority Shiite population were met with a fierce crackdown by the Sunni monarchy. While the US initially called for restraint and reforms, it ultimately resumed arms sales to Bahrain and took no significant action to address the human rights abuses. This was despite Obama's earlier support for the Arab Spring and calls for a compromise between the Sunni royal family and the Shiite majority. The US's muted response has been attributed to its strategic interests in Bahrain, which hosts the US Fifth Fleet and is crucial for projecting US naval power in the Gulf.

Obama's silence on human rights abuses in Bahrain

In 2011, when the Arab Spring began and protests spread across Bahrain, demanding more democracy and better representation for Shiites, Obama himself pressed for change in the country. In February 2011, as protesters massed in the tens of thousands at Manama's Pearl Roundabout, the president issued a statement welcoming reform plans—which were never really carried out—announced by King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa. Obama reaffirmed that it was the U.S. position that Bahrain's stability would be ensured through "respecting the universal rights of the people of Bahrain and reforms that meet the aspirations of all Bahrainis."

However, the king answered Obama's call for reform with more repression. On March 14, he invited in troops from Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates to help put down the protests. Thousands of security forces stormed the Pearl Roundabout demonstrations on March 16, clearing the protest camp and arresting its leaders. In the aftermath of the crackdown, Obama's tone on Bahrain toughened. The message was clear: Stability must depend on respecting the rights of the people, not on foreign troops. When the president gave a major speech on the Middle East in May 2011, he was even more critical of Bahrain and its policy of repression: "We have insisted both publicly and privately that mass arrests and brute force are at odds with the universal rights of Bahrain's citizens, and [...] such steps will not make legitimate calls for reform go away."

In June 2011, Obama was questioned by some in the media for welcoming Bahrain's Prince Salman bin Hamad al-Khalifa to the White House, given the fierce crackdown on protesters in the country. The collaboration of Saudi Arabia and the other Gulf states with Bahrain's royalty had carried out mass repression since the middle of March. This included the detention, beating, and torture of thousands.

In June 2013, Obama urged meaningful reform in Bahrain. Bahraini officials rejected Obama's claims about sectarianism between Sunnis and Shias. Nevertheless, the Obama administration resumed providing arms and maintenance to the regime during its crackdown on pro-democracy groups, including ammunition, combat vehicle parts, communications equipment, Blackhawk helicopters, and an unidentified missile system.

Despite Obama's initial vocal support for the protesters, his administration's later actions—or lack thereof—have been perceived as silence in the face of human rights abuses in Bahrain.

The US's strategic interests in Bahrain

The United States has several strategic interests in Bahrain. Firstly, Bahrain is the first state in the region to host a major US military base on its territory, the US Fifth Fleet. This allows the United States to project its naval power across the Gulf. Secondly, Bahrain is a key ally in the fight against Islamic extremism in the Middle East. It has partnered with the US to counter the Islamic State and al-Qaida, and its location makes it a central node in the international maritime presence securing important choke points. Thirdly, Bahrain has a close economic relationship with the US, with a free trade agreement in place and a commitment to clean energy initiatives. Finally, Bahrain is politically aligned with the US, sharing values such as respect for sovereignty, international law, and human rights.

The Obama administration's response to the Bahraini crackdown on protesters

In June 2011, Obama welcomed Bahrain's Prince Salman bin Hamad al-Khalifa to the White House, which was questioned by some in the media due to the fierce crackdown on protesters in the country. In 2012, the White House issued just one statement about Bahrain, which came from the press secretary rather than the president. This statement urged the government to implement the recommendations of the Bahrain Independent Commission of Inquiry and called for genuine dialogue and meaningful reforms.

In 2013, Obama's UN address mentioned Bahrain only briefly, with a one-line reference to the need for efforts to resolve sectarian tensions. This was followed by silence on the issue in his 2014 UN speech.

While the Obama administration did not publicly pressure Bahrain, it did take some action. In 2011, Obama halted arms sales to Bahrain, although this was short-lived as sales resumed in 2012. In 2013, the Obama administration expelled the U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for Human Rights, Tom Malinowski, after he met with members of Bahrain's political opposition.

Overall, the Obama administration's response to the Bahraini crackdown on protesters was muted, with a lack of public condemnation or pressure for reform. This was despite early tough language from Obama, which was not followed through with concrete actions.

The role of the US Fifth Fleet in Bahrain

The US Fifth Fleet is based in Bahrain, allowing the US to project its naval power across the Gulf. The Fifth Fleet's area of responsibility encompasses approximately 2.5 million square miles and includes the Persian Gulf, Red Sea, Arabian Sea, and parts of the Indian Ocean. It shares a commander and headquarters with US Naval Forces Central Command (NAVCENT) in Bahrain.

The Fifth Fleet was initially established during World War II in 1944 and conducted extensive operations that led to the defeat of Japanese forces in the Central Pacific. It was deactivated in 1947 and remained inactive for 48 years until it was reactivated in 1995. Since then, it has contributed significant forces in the Global War on Terrorism and continues to project US naval power in the Middle East.

The Fifth Fleet's presence in Bahrain is a crucial part of the US military's ability to project power in the region. However, it has also been a source of tension between the US and Bahrain, particularly during the Arab Spring protests in 2011 when Obama pressed for change and compromise between the Sunni royal family and the majority Shiite population.

The Obama administration's arms deals with Bahrain

In 2012, the Obama administration used a loophole to sell arms to Bahrain without notifying Congress. The original $53 million arms deal was to include 44 armoured, high-mobility Humvees and over 300 advanced missiles. However, due to human rights concerns and congressional opposition, the Obama administration decided to split the deal into multiple sales, each under $1 million, thus avoiding the need for congressional notification.

In 2013, the Navy announced it was adding five more coastal patrol ships to American forces in Bahrain. In 2014, the Obama administration went forward with a more than half-a-billion-dollar expansion of the U.S. presence in Bahrain.

In 2017, the Trump administration approved a $3 billion deal for F-16 fighter jets for Bahrain, which had been blocked by the Obama administration due to human rights concerns.

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