U.S. defends Bahrain policy

WASHINGTON, April 15 (UPI) -- U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton says the United States supports a political process that advances the rights of the citizens of Bahrain.

She also deflected criticism the Obama administration is being selective in upholding democratic values in the Middle East, the Washington Post reported Friday.

She said the Obama administration has appealed to the Bahraini government to show restraint in dealing with pro-democracy demonstrators and she called for a political process that "advances the rights and aspirations of all the citizens of Bahrain."

Others say the United States is ignoring human rights abuses in Bahrain.

"Even though the American administration's words are all about freedom and democracy and change, in Bahrain, the reality is that they're basically a protection for the dictatorship," said Zainab al-Khawaja, a prominent human-rights activist who went on a hunger strike after her father, husband and brother-in-law were arrested at her apartment in Bahrain during the weekend.

Bahrain's monarchy called in Saudi troops last month to help stifle the country's protest movement.

"We need to worry about the human-rights situation deteriorating there," said Joel Rubin, a former Middle East specialist for the State Department and deputy director of the National Security Network. "It has a real impact on perceptions of American policy in the region."