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The tiny Persian Gulf sheikhdom of Bahrain is in the midst of seemingly irresolvable mayhem. When, in February 2011, influenced by the eruption of political protests in other Arab states, many Bahrainis poured into the streets of Manama, they were expressing their frustration of the repressive and unjust situation they had long endured. Demands for constitutional reforms, democratic rights, and a more equitable society were met with the harsh and brutal reaction of the authoritarian regime of Al-Khalifa, with the implicit consent of the United States. The neighbouring Saudi Arabia and Islamic republic of Iran manipulated the situation, aggravating the turmoil.

The complicated status of Bahrain can be understood in light of the historical Persian (Iranian) and Arab rivalries, on the one hand, and the colonial and imperial interests of Britain, and now the United States, on the other. Historically a part of the Persian Empire, Bahrain came under Arab influence in the 8th century, and shifted hands several times, leading to the rule of the Al-Khalifa tribe in the 18th century. Iran did not give up its claim over Bahrain, and, even in the 1950s, declared it a province of Iran. However, in the early 1970s, with Britain’s intervention, the majority of Bahrainis opted for independence.

The Al-Khalifa tribe was a non-native Arab Sunni tribe originating from central Arabia, and ruling over a Shiite-majority territory. As a result, it had to rule with force. It n... >>>