In the background of this yet another youth, Qassim Habib Jafar, in Bahrain has died from the inhalation of poison gas in tear gas canisters fired by regime forces.

The attack by regime forces was mounted on anti-regime demonstrators mourning the death of an eight-year-old child, a victim of the regime’s heavy-handed crackdown.

Tear gas is supplied by Western countries and is considered non-lethal support to the Al Khalifa regime.

Press TV has interviewed Mr. Colin Cavell, former lecturer at the University of Bahrain, West Virginia, about this issue. The following is an approximate transcription of the interview.

Press TV: I’d like to get your assessment of where the Bahraini revolution has reached at this point because it seems like whatever age category you may belong whether you are an infant all the way up to elderly people are valid targets at this point for Bahraini security forces.

Cavell: It appears to many people that neither side is moving forward. There are talks for renewed dialogue, but the opposition is very wary about the intentions of the monarchy because they say the government will act not directly in such proposed dialogues, but rather as mediators.

So the regime, the hunter that is, in charge of Bahrain right now is not serious after two years about any talks.

What’s going to happen has to be outside intervention; change of policy by the United States.

And I think you’re going to see that developing with the new Secretary of State John Kerry and once they can confirm a new director of the Defense Department – If Obama gets his new team in place – I think you’re going to see the United States make some big decisions in order to maintain its hegemony in the Persian Gulf monarchies.

What that will entail is forcing the Al Khalifa regime to allow the opposition some say in the government. Whether it’s a constitutional monarchy they try to implement or whether they get rid of the monarchy entirely is still open to question.

But the opposition is strong; the opposition is not giving up despite the torture; despite the tear gas that killed Qassim Jafar last week; despite the killings that continue to go on; despite the continued jailing of all of the opposition leaders, the opposition is strong.

Moreover, I would suggest that the February 12th coalition is going to rev up the heat in Bahrain because they will understand that the marches are good, the opposition is strong, but they need to impact the revolution stronger. They need to show their seriousness.

And I think you’re going to see the youth especially take the lead in bringing the fight directly to the regime because they’re going to know that the regime has absolutely no support other than the few coat-hangers on that benefit from the regime.

The United States knows the regime has no legitimacy anymore and so they are going to be forced to make changes.

So I think you’re going to see some changes developing and coming out more clearly in the next six months.

Press TV: If I could play devil’s advocate for a moment… The Bahrain monarchy are many people to justice and bringing them to trial.

In fact one of the Bahraini princesses herself is now being put on trial for torturing doctors, you know, the Bahrain monarchy could argue, we’re even putting royals on trial isn’t that a good sign?

Cavell: I will play devil’s advocate as well… You will not see those princesses go to jail. You will not see those princesses fined. In fact you will see her exonerated of all charges. I think they can check that bet later on.

SC/HSN