Top US military officer arrives in Bahrain as protests against government continue

With thousands of anti-government protestors still on the streets of Manama, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Adm. Mike Mullen arrived in Bahrain on Thursday in what appeared to be a bid to reassure an old American ally and to better understand the intentions of its ruling family.

The top US military officer is the highest-ranking US official to visit Bahrain since protesters there joined the wave of uprisings across the region, marching against anti-democratic governments, royal families and despotic regimes.

"Obviously Bahrain has been important to us for decades," Mullen told reporters shortly before his arrival in Manama. "They are a critical ally and have been for a long time," he added.

Mullen's visit is part of a regional tour aimed at "reaffirming, reassuring and also trying to understand where the leaderships of these countries are going, and in particular in Bahrain," the admiral said.

Mullen is scheduled to meet Bahrain's King Hamad bin Issa al-Khalifa and Crown Prince Salman bin Hamad al-Khalifa, whom the United States has praised for taking "positive steps" to reach out to protesters. But the opposition is, of course, excluded from Mullen's agenda.

Meanwhile, Bahrainis are set to swarm the capital's main square on Friday to commemorate the martyrdom of those shot by government troops during recent pro-democracy protest rallies.

At least seven people have been killed in 11 consecutive days of popular protests calling for the ouster of the Al-Khalifa dynasty, which has ruled the country for over 200 years.

The Persian Gulf island's leading clerics have called on the masses to rally in Pearl Square on Friday to "mourn the martyrs," AFP reported on Wednesday.

Bahraini authorities have announced Friday a day of national mourning and released 308 prisoners, including 25 activists who had been on trial since October accused of plotting against the Gulf state's rulers. King Hamad bin Isa al-Khalifa had pardoned the prisoners on Tuesday, in a gesture toward opposition activists.