Saudi Troops Enter Bahrain As Royals Circle The Wagons

The opposition in Bahrain, including the Shia Wefaq party, issued a statement saying: "We consider the entry of Saudi Arabia or other Gulf forces into the Kingdom of Bahrain's air, sea or land territories a blatant occupation." It added that Saudi intervention threatened Bahrainis "with an undeclared war by armed troops".

So far the Saudi troops, presumed to be accompanied by smaller forces from other GCC states, have not appeared on the streets, where security remains in the hands of the police. Demonstrators have erected barricades blocking the main road leading to the financial district. Police checkpoints have sealed the road to the airport. The protesters appear to have moved into the business district in order to raise pressure on the government. Businessmen working in Bahrain's offshore banking hub were forced to walk miles to their offices in high-rise buildings in the centre of Manama. Protesters had gathered earlier outside the Bahrain Financial Harbour, which is owned by the Prime Minister, Khalifa bin Salman al-Khalifa, who has been accused of corruption. They also moved to the campus of the main university and against the royal palace in Riffa, where they were opposed by police and Sunni civilians wielding swords. Full Patrick Cockburn article HERE.