What follows is an approximate transcription of the interview.

Press TV: It seems that the crackdown in Bahrain continues unabated with a complete media blackout on the part of the mainstream Western media. What do you make of that?

Spannaus: Well it is not surprising because Bahrain is really a protector of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The ruling family, the Al Khalifa family of course comes originally from Saudi mainland.

And the Saudis are protected in the United States and of course in Britain too and the chief instrument of cracking down on the protests in Bahrain has been the Saudis.

The Saudi military came in; the Saudi troops came in to crush the protests. And you won’t hear any protest and you will not hear any protest from Obama because despite some recent developments of appearing a break with Saudis on Syria and the Saudis wanting to attack Iran, Obama is still fully committed to protecting the Saudis.

Press TV: Then it begs the question Mr. Spannaus as these protesters are digging their heels in the ground and saying we are not going anywhere, we are going to continue demanding our rights and the Bahraini monarchy is continually being supported by powers like the US, how sustainable is the situation?

Spannaus: Well it is only sustainable and so far as they have of course the backing of the Saudis and behind the Saudis are the British and the Americans as well. So the key to it is what happens with Saudi Arabia.

Bahrain is not really an independent country and two hopeful signs recently regarding the Saudis have been that despite the Saudi demands for US intervention in Syria, the US military has refused to do so and then of course the Saudis and the Israelis rely on an alliance with the Saudis; either [Persian] Gulf states wanting an attack on Iran and again under pressure from the US military and some people in the State Department, Obama has been forced to back down and actually to enter into the Geneva negotiations over the Iran nuclear program.

So these have been some setbacks for the Saudis but they are by no means permanent because Obama is not himself to be trusted and I think that is the key; what happens with the Saudis is the key to what happens in Bahrain.

AHK/PR