Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf

Also known, in brief, as the GCC, is an interdependent co-operative organization that encompasses most of the countries surrounding the Persian Gulf: Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates (with Yemen in negotiations regarding membership).

For the past 3 months, protest, violence, and all-out revolution has been sweeping across North Africa and the Middle East, deposing of dictatorial and/or totalitarian regimes. Said revolutions successfully toppled the Tunisian 'Presidential' dictatorship of Zine El Abidine Ben Ali and led to the dissolution of his former ruling party and style of government. This was soon followed by revolution in Egypt, which (in a generally peaceful context) successfully ousted the dictator, President Hosni Mubarak, and led to a more gradual dissolution of his former government than occurred in Tunisia. This then led to protests in Libya, which quickly led to armed revolt in the face of attempts at violently silencing the opposition. The armed revolt soon led to all-out revolution and the formation of a new Libyan government in the rebel-controlled east, known as the National Transitional Council, which continues in its struggle against Moammar al-Gaddafi and his hired mercenary armies to this day, looking to depose the megalomaniac dictator from his position of power. If I was stuck in Libya right now, I think I would look to fight alongside the rebels.

Anyways, returning to the GCC, serious protests also broke-out in the small Gulf country of Bahrain, which is ruled by an absolute monarchy. The protests, however, did not blow-up into a full-fledged attempt at revolution until the Bahrainian military decided to raid a protesters camp late at night while everyone was asleep, or completely off-guard (and, unarmed, I may add). How many protesters that they killed is unclear to me, but they killed quite a few. This is what led to the protesters demanding the overthrow of the monarchy, and an end to the human rights abuses they continue to suffer to this day.

It is understandable, then, that the protests grew in size, prominence, courage, and power, as they began to stand their ground despite the use of rubber bullets and live ammo, only dispersing for the sake of self-preservation.

So, in the spirit of 'good friendship,' the Bahrainian government asked for military assistance in putting down the protests from the GCC, and received it. As such, a multinational task force of regional soldiers arrived in Bahrain, alongside 1,000 Saudi troops. The arrival of these foreign soldiers has been viewed by much of the Bahrainian population as foreign invasion, and will probably strengthen opposition to the monarchy, as opposed to weaken it. I hope the people of Bahrain can get their hands on proper weapons, for their sake. I also hope they're not afraid to use any weapons they do receive.

The GCC is committing a blatantly immoral act. If the world does not see their intervention in the domestic affairs of Bahrain as a criminal act, I hope they at least see the fact that they are there to put-down unarmed protests using force of arms as blatantly evil, because that is exactly what it is... denying the people the freedom they demand. Not only that, it is killing innocent, freedom-loving people, who want nothing more than to be rid of oppression.

I hope that, one day, the beleaguered people of the Middle East and North Africa will be able to look on in satisfaction as they watch their former 'leaders' be carted-off to jail for the rest of their lives... or hung to death.

Viva la Revolución!