President Obama’s comments came on the same day he met face-to-face with another foreign leader facing internal unrest—the Crown Prince of Bahrain. Salman bin Hamad Khalifa’s visit to the White House was kept under wraps, with no announcement beforehand that it was to take place. The meeting came less than one week after the Bahraini government lifted the nation’s three months of martial law, then launched assaults on protesters in 20 villages. It also came one day after dozens of Bahraini medical officials who treated anti-government protesters were charged with attempting to overthrow the Bahraini monarchy. A White House statement about the meeting made no mention of the Bahraini crackdown. Bahrain is a key U.S. government ally and home to the Navy’s Fifth Fleet.