Saudis send troops to Bahrain

March 15, 2011 at 12:00a.m.

McClatchy Newspapers

CAIRO

Saudi Arabia on Monday dispatched at least 1,000 troops to neighboring Bahrain to help quell political unrest there, a move that not only escalated the political crisis in that tiny Arab kingdom but also raised the prospect that the wave of internal domestic rebellions sweeping the region could spark international conflict.

The Saudi forces were part of a contingent that included 500 policemen from the United Arab Emirates who responded to a request from the beleaguered Bahraini royal family, which so far has failed through both security and diplomatic channels to stop a month-old rebellion against the monarchy.

There were no reports of violence involving the Saudi troops or the other forces. Arab-language news reports said the forces would be deployed to protect oil facilities, banks and utilities.

Opposition activists leading the demonstrations immediately condemned the presence of foreign forces in Bahrain and called the move a provocation that’s sure to stoke sectarian tensions.

“We consider any foreign troops entering Bahrain as an occupying force. They have no business in Bahrain,” said Ebrahim Sharif, head of Waad, one of the seven main opposition groups. “They’re not here to defend our borders. They’re here to defend the regime.”

The Bahrain government welcomed the troops, however, saying their presence was intended to “protect the safety of citizens, residents and critical infrastructure.”

The government’s statement said defense treaties allowed members of the Gulf Cooperation Council to intervene in other members’ affairs “to deter anyone from violating the security and stability of GCC and/or seek to raise discord among citizens.”

In addition to Bahrain, Saudi Arabia and the UAE, the GCC includes Qatar, Oman and Kuwait.

On Thursday, the GCC called for the United Nations to impose a no-fly zone over Libya to help topple the regime of Moammar Gadhafi.

It was once unimaginable that Bahrain, a sleepy, sun-drenched kingdom that is home to the U.S. Navy’s 5th Fleet, could become a key battleground in the Middle East’s march toward democracy.

In the past 48 hours, however, Bahrain’s crisis has deepened, forcing the closure of Bahrain Financial Harbor, the once-bustling waterside commercial complex in the capital, Manama.