EU envoy defends Bahrain police amid unrest

[Gerald]

A top EU diplomat says the police in Bahrain have had a "difficult task" dealing with opposition protesters and in such situations "accidents happen".

Robert Cooper, special adviser to EU foreign policy chief Baroness Ashton, was briefing Euro MPs about his fact-finding visit to Bahrain last weekend.

Bahrain's Sunni Muslim king called in Saudi and Emirati forces last week to help quell Shia-led demonstrations.

The harsh crackdown has claimed several lives and dozens are reported missing.

Mr Cooper, a veteran British diplomat, said that "the exceptional nature of recent events is part of the problem, because... it's not easy dealing with large demonstrations in which there may be violence.

"It's a difficult task for the policemen, it's not something we always get right in Western countries, and accidents happen.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-12829401

Note:23 March 2011 Last updated at 17:59 GMT

[Skybird]

Once again, appeasement by the EU. Freaking spineless cowards. Don't shake this hand, you won't be able to clean yours that quickly afterwards.

[Catfish]

I think it is in the interest of the west, that the kings and potentates of Bahrain, VAR, Saudi-Arabia and whatnot remain in power.
Strange that Iran did not say or do anything, when S.-Arabia sent its troops into Bahrain.

[Skybird]

I think it is in the interest of the west, that the kings and potentates of Bahrain, VAR, Saudi-Arabia and whatnot remain in power.
Strange that Iran did not say or do anything, when S.-Arabia sent its troops into Bahrain.
Then we should not have adviocated the leave of Mubarak as well. But if we kick Mubarak, but leave the saudis and others in place, we simply use doub le standards and speak with split tongue.

Consistency, that is what it is about for me. You do not shake one gangster's hand while with your other hand you stab his as-evil brother.

We should not have become involved in the arab unrest at all. But when we did, we should have done it batter and earlier at many opportunities, especially the late intervention in Lybia.

[Tribesman]

Once again, appeasement by the EU.
Yes they shouldn't intervene, but they must intervene but they shouldn't intervene so they can but they cannot but hey the russians have gas and oil so they shouldn't should shouldn't secure the oil no blood for oil...they are evil muslims so they must be overthron, they might be replaced by evil muslims so they mustn't be overthrown must mustn't must ahhhhhhh demographics with some popper, democracy good dictators bad dictators good democracy bad, abolish freedom to save freedom, no rights no law, law is good respect my rights......
Consistency, that is what it is about for me
Skybird master of Doublespeak:yeah:

[the_tyrant]

My opinion:
Germany and other European countries will suffer extreme economic downturn or recession if there are more revolutions in the middle east

Oil prices will exponentially go up, and Europe's economy will collapse

The dictators in the middle east are at least pumping out oil, if other countries end up like Libya, oil supplies for Europe is going to be really strained.

So logically, it seems reasonable for European leaders to support the current leaders.

I have this feeling Canada's economy is going to boom if more civil wars appear in the middle east