On the Importance of Stability in Bahrain

Writing in the Washington Post, Thomas W. Lippman argues that while it is politically convenient that former President George W. Bush secretly renewed the defense pact with Bahrain through 2016, the U.S. relationship with Bahrain “could become untenable if Bahrain descends into mass violence or if public sentiment turns against the U.S. presence and American personnel are endangered.” Thus it is in the strategic interest of both the U.S. and Bahrain to encourage reform.

In the Telegraph, Peter Pearson discusses the importance of stability in Bahrain, where earlier this year “the Sunni community felt itself under siege” and “Bahrain was on the brink of disintegration.” He notes that the state of emergency established in response to protests gave the majority of Bahrainis confidence and a renewed sense of security, praises the investigation as an “unprecedented step,” and hopes that the regime will “learn from the mistakes of the past and turn a new page.”