GCIS INTELLIGENCE BRIEFING: Bahrain's Shiite leader wants Saudi-led force out

 

ISSUED BY: GCIS Communications Command Center

SOURCE: Federal News Radio

30March2011 10:05amEST

GCIS INTELLIGENCE UPDATE: MANAMA, Bahrain (AP) – Bahrain's Shiite opposition leader is demanding the Saudi-led force the Gulf nation's Sunni rulers invited to help quell the anti-government protests leaves the country.

Ali Salman says foreign troops must leave because the opposition rejects "any military intervening for any party" here.

About 1,500 troops from Saudi Arabia and other Gulf states entered Bahrain two weeks ago on the Sunni monarch's invitation. Bahrain's king also declared emergency rule and cracked down heavily on protesters who have challenged the royal family's monopoly on power.

Shiite powerhouse Iran strongly condemned the deployment.

But Salman on Wednesday also said Iran shouldn't interfere. He told reporters that "we don't want Bahrain to turn into a conflict zone" between Saudi Arabia and Iran. (read full report)

"GCIS INTELLIGENCE UPDATE" is an intelligence briefing presented by Griffith Colson Intelligence Service, and provided to the public for informative purposes only. All subject matter is credited to it's source of origin, and is not intended to represent original content authored by GCIS, it's partners or affiliates. All opinions presented are those of the author, and not necessarily those of GCIS or it's partners.

GCIS INTELLIGENCE BRIEFING: Opinion: US and Iran could become strategic allies – with India's help

ISSUED BY: GCIS Communications Command Center

SOURCE: CS Monitor

22February2011 1:20pmEST

GCIS INTELLIGENCE UPDATE: New Delhi – The standoff with Iran over its suspected nuclear weapons program continues. While Washington is arming its Gulf Arab allies in a process of ‘strategic containment,’ hardliners are seeking tighter sanctions and even military options to coerce Iran into compliance.

But these options remain untenable.

The "Gulf Security Dialogue" simply postpones the inevitable, neglecting Iran’s unconventional strengths. Sanctions antagonize Tehran, while Russia, Turkmenistan, China, and even smugglers fill the void in Iran’s energy sector. Military strikes and sabotage may set-back but not end Iran’s nuclear program, and provoke Iran to take countermeasures like mining the Strait of Hormuz – not to mention the political backlash.

Regime change by support for anti-Tehran militant groups only aggravates Iran, while Iran's democracy movements are calling for civil rights, not government overthrow. And with America trapped in Iraq and Afghanistan, Tehran could easily play spoiler.

There is a better option: a genuine rapprochement. (read full commentary)

"GCIS INTELLIGENCE UPDATE" is an intelligence briefing presented by Griffith Colson Intelligence Service, and provided to the public for informative purposes only. All subject matter is credited to it's source of origin, and is not intended to represent original content authored by GCIS, it's partners or affiliates. All opinions presented are those of the author, and not necessarily those of GCIS or it's partners.

GCIS INTELLIGENCE BRIEFING: Oman says UAE spy network exposed, UAE denies role

ISSUED BY: GCIS Communications Command Center

SOURCE: Reuters

30January2011 12:56pmEST

GCIS INTELLIGENCE UPDATE: Oman said it had uncovered a UAE spy network in the Gulf Arab state that targeted its government and military, the state news agency of the U.S. ally reported on Sunday.

Neighboring United Arab Emirates, a regional energy, financial and tourism hub that typically has had friendly relations with Oman, denied having links to any such network.

A regional security analyst found the allegations puzzling but suggested one possible motivation for such a network was that the UAE wanted to know more about Oman's links with Iran. (read full report)