American diplomatic history remains a continuous catalogue of nightmares, crimes, follies and arrogance that has imposed unbearable suffering, misery and tragedies on many unfortunate nations – from Vietnam to Afghanistan, Syria, Libya, Iraq, Yemen, as well as many parts of Central America.

It poses a puzzling conundrum, once alluded to by Sir Winston Churchill, who queried the impossibility of measuring the indefinite and weighing the imponderable. Even if we could find answers, we still wouldn’t be able to fathom the American psyche.

For instance, who really runs American foreign politics? Is it the White House? Or is it the backbenchers in the Foreign Office? Do they realise the enormity of what they have done to this planet since the end of World War Two? Does America have a conscience? Or does it only have macho cowboys with massive political power?

Has America ever indulged in retrospection, assessing results of its indulgences in the affairs of other nations? Or will a new team occupy seats of supreme power every four or eight years, able to do what they want to this world, safe in the knowledge that they will never face accountability or assume responsibility?

I’m asking these questions because it is impossible for any reasonable-minded individual to believe or accept the shameful behaviour of top diplomat Tom Malinowski, asked to leave Bahrain, as fully reported by this newspaper yesterday.

How can the United States of America, which claims to be a liberal-minded society, collaborate with the most reactionary group possible – Al Wefaq – which does not believe in a single concept of democracy, because ideologically it is chained to theocracy?

Or is its association with Al Wefaq merely a tool to be used to destabilise Bahrain, gateway to the rest of the GCC states? It is quite obvious that Mr Malinowski, who was here before, especially during 2012, is bitterly disappointed that his conspiracy failed at that time, but will lie on his file as a permanent black mark. He came here representing the United States’ Foreign Office, to try again, and also to reassure plotters about future strategies.

What we can’t understand is how Bahrain, as a government and people, believe that the US is a friendly country, when its ideals and actions indicate the total opposite.

It is pointless me philosophising about what diplomacy is, or when a diplomat exceeds his or her limits, because it seems that in a cowboy mentality such codes of conduct don’t exist. What I want to say however, is that it is time for America to clearly expose itself, just as its under-secretary was exposed, as friend or foe!

For Bahrain, as a very moderate and conservative country, to have decided to declare Mr Malinowski no longer welcome, must have been very hard. But never before has a Bahrain government received such levels of backing and support from citizens and residents, as well as neighbouring countries, for the expulsion of such a persona non grata.

Just think, this man in 2012 was actively taking part in demonstrations in the villages. What happened to American impartiality, or the principles of Human Rights Watch, which at that time he was heading?

If America desperately seeks to mend relations with Iran at the expense of Bahrain’s people, because of the nuclear talks impasse in Tehran, it should know that this country does not stand alone. For it will always remain the beating heart of the whole region!

Finally, it is very crucial that this episode should not be washed away by a mere telephone call from the White House, paying only lip-service assurance of support for Bahrain and its historic friendship.

In politics this counts for little, and the United States is well known for its diplomatic double-speak!