Not only that, but Bahrain is home to the primary US Naval base in the Persian Gulf. Denying use of those facilities to the US Navy would be a major strategic coup for Iran.
I’m not sure if we have the wherewithal to maintain NSA Bahrain in Guantanamo-like isolation should a hostile regime take control. Even if we could, its strategic value would probably be greatly diminished, due to the increased logistical burden of maintaining it, the need to be prepared to defend it from land attack at any time, and the number of hostile eyes on the base that can report movements to Iran (which I’d bet has always been a problem).
We’ve still got Diego Garcia. A longer haul but it can be done.
Of course a navy is useless if the person in charge doesn’t have the balls to use it.
“Not only that, but Bahrain is home to the primary US Naval base in the Persian Gulf.”
The Kenyan usurper is probably thinking “Yikes! We gotta get out of there FAST!!!”/sarcasm;)