US diplomat says Bahrain expulsion 'not about me'

MANAMA, Bahrain (AP) — A senior U.S. diplomat who was ordered to leave the Middle Eastern nation of Bahrain after meeting with a leading Shiite opposition group said Tuesday that the American ally’s move appears aimed at undermining reconciliation efforts between the government and the opposition.

U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for Democracy, Human Rights and Labor Tom Malinowski made the comments on his Twitter feed a day after Bahrain’s Foreign Ministry said he is not welcome in the strategic island nation, which has long hosted the U.S. Navy’s 5th Fleet.