The Barack Obama administration is resuming its military cooperation with Bahrain despite lingering human rights concerns.
The State Department in June lifted its hold on small arms and other weapons that could be used against protesters. The freeze was put in place following Bahrain’s 2011 crackdown on demonstrations; its removal is a tacit reward for Bahrain’s participation in the fight against the self-proclaimed Islamic State (IS) and Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen.
