THE UK military is returning ‘East of Suez’ to its former naval base in Bahrain, 40 years after withdrawal of every military garrison.
‘This new base is a permanent expansion of the Royal Navy’s footprint and will enable Britain to send more and larger ships to reinforce stability in the Gulf,’ said Defence Secretary Michael Fallon on Saturday. ‘We will now be based again in the Gulf for the long term’.
Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond agreed, claiming it guarantees Britain’s presence in the region for ‘decades’, taking up a greater role in the Middle East as the United States ‘pivoted’ towards Asia.
Bahraini Foreign Minister Khalid bin Ahmed Al Khalifa said the deal ‘reaffirms our joint determination to maintain regional security and stability in the face of challenging circumstances’.
‘Your concerns are our concerns,’ Hammond told the regime.
Bahrain hosts the region’s largest naval base, the Naval Support Activity Bahrain (NSA Bahrain) in Manama, a former Royal Navy base, transferred to the US government in 1971, when Britain withdrew from the Persian Gulf.
The NSA Bahrain is homeport to the US Fifth Fleet and headquarters to the US Naval Forces Central Command in the region.
Under the deal, Britain will have a place to plan and store equipment and also add to its four warships currently based in Bahrain.
Mass protests against the brutal Sheikh Khalid bin Ahmed al-Khalifa feudal regime have seen thousands arrested and scores killed since the beginning of a popular uprising in 2011.
Manama receives military support from Saudi Arabia and some other Arab monarchies of the region.
In March 2011 troops from Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates were deployed to Bahrain to assist the regime in its crackdown on peaceful protests in the country.
Leading Bahraini opposition activist and protest leader Nabeel Rajeeb, emphasised that Britain has been one of the only western countries openly supporting the repressive government in Bahrain.
‘I think you will see a lot of people opposing this base in Bahrain, especially as it’s coming from a government that is not a friendly government to our struggle for democracy and human rights and totally supports the repressive regime here in Bahrain,’ said Rajeeb.
Former Bahraini opposition MP, Jawad Fairooz, said: ‘The UK tries to apply a democratic process within its borders, while it supports a regime which keeps suppressing peaceful protests.’
