Abstract
Bahrain, the smallest Arab country, is perhaps the most vocal Gulf state opposing Iran. The governing monarchy, which is Sunni, is actually a minority in its own country, which is majority Shiite. This has led to intense mistrust of Iran on the part of the Bahraini authorities, who prefer to maintain strong bonds with the other GCC states as a means of bolstering its security. They fear Iranian meddling in their internal affairs, which have been marked with violence and oppression since outbreaks of unrest during the “Arab Spring.” In order to further bolster the state’s security, the government consents to hosting the US’s Fifth Fleet and continuously strives to draw closer to Saudi Arabia.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Preview
Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.
Notes
Sean L. Yom, “The Survival of the Arab Monarchies” November 12, 2012 in Mark Lynch (ed.), “Arab Uprisings: The Arab Monarchy Debate,” POMEPS Briefing 16, December 19, 2012.
The Meir Amit Intelligence and Terrorism Information Center at the Israeli Intelligence and Heritage Commemoration Center, March 8, 2009. See also Embassy Manama, “Bahrain as “Iran’s Fourteenth Province,” February 17, 2009, Reference ID 09MANAMA91.
Al Jazeera, “Morocco sever relations with Iran,” March 8, 2009.
Reuters, “Bahrain Returns Its Ambassador to Iran,” August 12, 2012.
The Meir Amit Intelligence and Terrorism Information Center, “A terrorist cell was recently exposed in Bahrain which planned to attack Bahraini and Saudi Arabian targets Bahraini and Saudi media to Iran, may be part of a terrorist campaign waged by Iran against Saudi Arabia and its allies,” November 30, 2011, 2.
The Daily Star, “Bahrain Arrests Bombing Suspects, Blames Hezbollah,” November 7, 2012.
The Daily Star, “King Abdullah Calls for Gulf unity,” December 20, 2011.
BBC News, “US Resumes Some Bahrain Arms Sales for ‘External Defence’,” May 11, 2012.
CNN, “Bahraini Wins Human Rights Seat Amid Protests, Teen’s Death,” September 30, 2012.
Project on Middle East Democracy, “One Year Later: Assessing Bahrain’s Implementation of the BICI Report,” November 2012.
Jane Kinninmont, “Bahrain” in Christopher Davidson (ed.), Power and Politics in the Persian Gulf Monarchies (New York: Columbia University Press, 2011), 56.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Copyright information
© 2015 Yoel Guzansky
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Guzansky, Y. (2015). Bahrain. In: The Arab Gulf States and Reform in the Middle East: Between Iran and the “Arab Spring”. Palgrave Pivot, London. https://doi.org/10.1057/9781137467836_9
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1057/9781137467836_9
Publisher Name: Palgrave Pivot, London
Print ISBN: 978-1-349-50009-3
Online ISBN: 978-1-137-46783-6
eBook Packages: Palgrave Political Science CollectionPolitical Science and International Studies (R0)