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Nick Kristoff of the New York Times recently returned to Bahrain after almost a year away. The government finally issued him a visa and his powerful video report can be viewed here. It's attached to a current story detailing the verdict to jail for three years a Bahraini activist:

Prominent Bahraini opposition activist Nabeel Rajab was sentenced to three years in jail on Thursday for anti-government protests, his lawyer said, a verdict likely to undermine a U.S. call for dialogue to defuse political tension on the island.

Rajab is the founder of the Bahrain Centre for Human Rights and has led many protests against the wide powers of the Sunni Al Khalifa dynasty which rules the island kingdom.

A hero to protesters, but villain for Bahrainis who fear the protests will bring Shi'ite Islamists to power, Rajab is already serving three months in jail over a tweet criticizing the veteran prime minister. A court said it insulted Bahrainis.

Why is this important to the U.S.?

The United States values close ties with the ruling family, which allows Washington to run its Fifth Fleet operations out of Manama.

The fleet plays a key role in ensuring the free flow of oil in the Gulf while Tehran has threatened to stop shipping in vital shipping lanes nearby if the United States steps up pressure over Iran's disputed nuclear program.

Yet again, money trumps human rights:

"This is a shocking verdict, even by Bahrain's own abysmal standards on human rights. The regime can't be seen serious about human rights reform when it jails one of the world's most prominent activists to prison for three years," said Brian Dooley of U.S.-based Human Rights First.

Will the Arab Spring ever truly reach the shores of Bahrain if the United States doesn't take a stand with it's ally? Hello, President Obama!

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