Bahrain Mirror (Exclusive): Recently disclosed chain of emails between the former US Secretary of State and 2016 presidential election runner up Hillary Clinton and her advisor Sidney Blumenthal once again shed light on the reality of the Saudi role in crushing the Bahraini uprising and killing anti-regime Shia protestors.

The email sent by Clinton's advisor on March 16, 2011 seems to have contributed to the US stance that somewhat opposed the entrance of Saudi forces to Bahrain at first. The former State Secretary herself has stated multiple times that Washington denounces the military option in Bahrain and deems it a wrong solution. She also described the situation in Manma as concerning at the time.

Clinton's statements were made on the same day she received this email, containing information from "knowledgeable sources" regarding the future Saudi and Emirati role in Bahrain. It was on the same day the military forces raided the Pearl Roundabout and attacked the protestors camping there, leaving a number of demonstrators killed and hundreds injured. This was followed by a 12-hour curfew in the area and months of police state conditions.

According to what Clinton reported in her memoirs, it seems that her call to the Saudi Foreign Minister to stop the invasion of Saudi forces and her prediction that there will be a "bloodbath" were all based on information disclosed to her about a clear Saudi role in the crushing of the uprising- this information was provided to her in this said email.

This document numbered C05778978 is one among over 30,000 of Hillary Clinton's emails when she was State Secretary that the US Administration was obliged to make public in February 2016 under the Freedom of Information Act. On March 16, 2016, WikiLeaks documented and published all the documents in the form of texts to facilitate research.

Blumenthal's email sent to Clinton is a "report" on the "Dramatic New Libya & Bahrain Developments," in which he described the deployment of Saudi forces in Bahrain as an "invasion".

Bahraini Government Gives Green Light to Saudi Officers in March 2011: Open Fire to Disperse Protestors

The report confirms that "during the early morning of March 16, 2011, according to individuals with direct access to the security forces of Saudi Arabia, the government of Bahrain's King Hamad bin Isa al Khalifa privately told military advisors to Saudi King Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz that the 1000 man Saudi security force which entered Bahrain on March 13 should shoot to kill, if needed, to aid overwhelmed Bahraini security forces in dispersing anti-government demonstrators."

"These individuals state that, in coordination with the Bahraini forces, the Saudi troops opened fire on demonstrators in Pearl Square, killing at least 12 protestors and wounding another 30-50 people," the report further states, adding that a "twelve hour curfew is now in place in Manama."

King Hamad Determined to Use Necessary Force to End Uprising

This document published by WikiLeaks reveals that according to these Saudi officers, "King Khalifa, and Prime Minister Khalifa Bin Salman al Khalifa are increasingly concerned as the demonstrators rally around a call for the establishment of a constitutional monarchy in Bahrain, with the current rulers stepping down." The document further stresses that the King was "determined to use as much force as necessary to end this uprising, and regain control over the majority Shiite population in his country."

"In this regard, King Khalifa turned to the 2009 mutual defense agreement among the Gulf Corporation Council (GCC) states; and asked the Saudis to send in troops," it adds.

The report also notes that "the United Arab Emirates (UAF,) will send in 500 police officers to support of this GCC operation," pointing out that according to knowledgeable sources, "these police forces will join Saudi and Bahraini troops in seeking out and detaining anti-government personnel outside of Manama over the next week."

The report further mentions a source comment that says "knowledgeable individuals state that King Khalifa and King Abdullah, as well as their senior advisors, realize that these military moves may further inspire unrest in the Shiite communities in both Saudi Arabia and Bahrain."

Senior Security Officials in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia: Clandestine Iranian intelligence operatives are working in both countries

The former State Secretary's advisor also mentioned that "senior security officials in both countries believe that clandestine operatives of the Iranian Ministry of Intelligence and Security (MOTS) are working in these Shiite communities to spread unrest."

"These officers believe that press reports regarding Bahraini troops firing on hospitals to prevent injured people from receiving treatment, were planted by covert action operatives of the MOTS." The report further read that "they also received reporting from sensitive sources that the leaders of Shiite mosques in Bahrain are now seriously urging people to commence a jihad against the government."

According to an individual with access to senior officials of King Abdullah's government, he stated that "Saudi intelligence officials believe that Iran, through the MOIS intends to exploit the crisis in Bahrain to improve its position in the Gulf Saudi intelligence believes that if Teheran succeeds in transforming the issue from a political dispute to a Sunni versus Shia religious conflict it will be an important step in efforts by the Iranian leadership against the Saudi ruling family, whom they believe unworthy of guarding the holy places of Islam."

In the opinion of these sources, he highlights that "the Iranian government has a long range strategy to establish its position as the defender of the Shiite community against the repression initiated by Saudi troops. These Saudi officers point out that the Iranians used a similar strategy in Iraq, establishing themselves, and their allies as the protectors of the Shiite population against the Saudis and the supporters of the United States."

Saudi Officers: Most revered Grand Ayatollahs in Bahrain are not in concert with Iran's theocratic ideology

The advisor further mentioned a source comment that says that "while these Saudi officers are concerned by the unrest in the Shiite communities in their. country and Bahrain, they believe they can eventually control the situation, as the most revered Grand Ayatollahs in Bahrain are Ayatollah Sistani in Najaf Ayatollah Muhammad Sadeq Shirazi in Qom and Ayatollah Muhammad Taqi al-IVIudarrasi in Karbala. The teachings of Ayatollahs Sistani and Shirazi are not in concert with Iran's theocratic ideology, and their concept of clerical involvement in politics is more in line with electoral politics rather than militant activism and the formation of an Iranian-style theocracy."

"That said, in their opinion the immediate issue is limiting the role of the MOIS, while quickly putting down the demonstration," he adds concluding the report.

Hillary Clinton in her Memoir Hard Choices: A bloodbath will ensue if Saudi troops entered Bahrain

Clinton stated in her book "Hard Choices" that she was concerned about this escalation in March 2011 and worried about a bloodbath if Saudi tanks started rolling through barricaded streets in Manama. She further stressed that the timing of that military interference couldn't have been worse.

According to Clinton, the Gulf states did not think that it was necessary to inform the United States about this military operation, and also did not want to take permission from Washington or accept its calls to end the intervention.

Clinton also revealed that she called the former Saudi FM Saud Al-Faisal and asked him to put a halt to the Saudi military intervention for while in order to allow the negotiations between the Bahraini government and opposition succeed, yet he refused and considered that the Saudi operation will restore stability to the Gulf.

The former State Secretary saw that the entrance of Saudi troops to Bahrain stirred up the public Shiite opinion in the region even more.

Clinton said she was in Cairo at the time and was dismayed by reports coming in from Bahrain, so she spoke candidly about her concerns. She wrote: "The situation in Bahrain is alarming," I said. "We have called on our friends in the Gulf - four of whom are assisting Bahrain security efforts - to force through a political solution, not a security standoff."

In her book, she says that when a BBC reporter pointed out to her that these countries are your allies, you arm them and train their armies... Clinton responded: "Well they are on notice as to what we think," and: "And we will intend to make that very clear publicly and privately, and we will do everything we can to try to move this off the wrong track, which we believe is going to undermine long-term progress in Bahrain, to the right track, which is the political and economic track."

Clinton's said statements that upset Bahrain and Saudi Arabia came after she received the aforementioned report from her then advisor. The international media saw that Washington was not pleased with this military intervention and that the Gulf States were stunting Saudi influence in the region, Clinton commented by saying that this interpretation is true yet discouraging.

She added that her words, while reasonable, were more pointed than "how we usually speak in public about the Gulf countries and, "In Riyadh and Abu Dhabi, our partners were angry and offended."

This was evident in a call between her and the Emirati FM Abdullah bin Zayed, who openly told her that because of her comments on Bahrain, the UAE and the Arab group will withdraw from the coalition against Gaddafi's regime in Libya.

This phone call was the gateway to change the US stance towards the Gulf military intervention in Bahrain. Clinton explained how she was forced to make hard choices and unideal reconciliations due to this call. In the following press conference, Clinton changed her tone towards Bahrain to satisfy Saudi Arabia and the UAE and said that it was Bahrain's right to call for troops from neighboring countries.

Arabic Version