And when is Sen. Lindsey O. Graham making a statement that the Saudi's move "will make the situation more difficult for those opposing Sunni oppression of Shiites," and that the troops "also undercut our national efforts to bring about the desired result of the Middle East moving from dictators and minority monarchies to democracies."
CAIRO — Saudi Arabian troops entered Bahrain on Monday as part of a military force from Gulf states called in to deal with a month of political unrest in the island kingdom.
Bahrain's government called in forces from its Sunni neighbors to put down unrest after protesters overwhelmed police and blocked roads in a resurgence of mass protests seen last month.
Nabeel al-Hamer, a former information minister and adviser to the royal court, said on his Twitter feed these troops were already on the island, a key U.S. ally and headquarters of the U.S. Navy's Fifth Fleet. Saudi officials declined comment.
Reporters saw no immediate movement of Saudi forces across the 16-mile causeway between the two countries.
Bahraini opposition groups including the largest Shiite Muslim party Wefaq said any intervention by Gulf Arab forces on the island was a declaration of war and an occupation.
"Forces from the Gulf Cooperation Council have arrived in Bahrain to maintain order and security," al-Hamer said.
Gulf Daily News, a newspaper close to Bahrain's powerful prime minister, reported on Monday that forces from the GCC -- a six-member regional bloc comprising Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Qatar and Oman in addition to Bahrain -- would protect strategic facilities.
The GCC forces would help maintain law and order, it said in a front page report.
"Their mission will be limited to protecting vital facilities, such as oil, electricity and water installations, and financial and banking facilities."
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