Special to WorldTribune.com

LONDON — The United States has upgraded its defense dialogue with Bahrain amid the Shi’ite revolt in the Gulf Cooperation Council kingdom.

The administration of President Barack Obama has selected Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel to lead a U.S. delegation to Bahrain in December..

This marked the first time a U.S. defense secretary would address the Manama Dialogue  since the eruption of the Shi’ite revolt in Bahrain in 2011.

Western diplomats said Hagel’s visit reflected a decision by the White House to improve U.S. relations with both Bahrain and its patron Saudi Arabia. They said the U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry promised Saudi leaders that Washington would enhance political and defense coordination, particularly with Iran and Syria.

“U.S. defense and security engagement with the region is important and the presence of Secretary Hagel will help to bolster consultations between the region and the U.S.,” John Chipman, director-general of the International Institute for Strategic Studies, said.

Chipman said Hagel would participate in the institute’s Manama Dialogue, scheduled for Dec. 6-8. During that year, Washington withheld defense and security exports to Manama.

The last defense secretary to address the Manama Dialogue was Robert
Gates, the first appointee of Obama. The dialogue was expected to include 20
defense and foreign ministers in a discussion of Iran, Egypt and GCC
defense.

“U.S. Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel’s decision to lead an impressive
delegation to the IISS Manama Dialogue is a mark of the unique opportunities
for defense diplomacy and conflict resolution offered by the dialogue
platform,” Chipman said.

  Chuck Hagel, International Institute for Strategic Studies, Robert Gates, U.S. dispatches Hagel to Bahrain for IISS dialogue in bid to shore up ties with Gulf states