Writing in the New York Times, Vali Nasr argues that sectarianism, a trademark of the Middle East, could exacerbate the conflict in Syria and spread throughout the region. The tensions between Sunnis and Shiites could impede democratic transitions and force the U.S. to reexamine its response to the Arab uprisings. Nasr notes, "There are no recent examples of extended power-sharing or peaceful transitions to democracy in the Arab world." Instead, with ...

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 ...

On Wednesday, the Institute for Gulf Affairs hosted a conference titled, "U.S. Foreign Policy and the Future of Bahrain" at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.  The conference featured speeches by Bahraini political activists on the violations against human rights and a panel of experts that spoke on the current political situation in Bahrain.  The conference began with opening remarks by Ali al-Ahmed, the director of the Institute for Gulf ...

Sporadic protests continue to break out in Shia neighborhoods in Bahrain's capital, Manama, as more developed neighborhoods are claiming security has been restored. Sheikh Abdul-Aziz of Bahrain's Information Affairs said the protesters are not representative of the Shi'a majority. Prominent Bahraini activist Nabeel Rajab said, "I think we'll remain in this unstable situation until there is some kind of political solution. It's not going back to normal." Bahraini ...

Anouar Boukhars, writing at the Arab Reform Bulletin, discusses the Gulf Cooperation Council's invitation to Morocco to become a member of the bloc.  Boukhars notes the diplomatic, political and economic boost membership would bring to the country, especially in light of its ongoing conflict with Algeria.  However, he states, many Moroccans oppose joining the group as they see it as an attempt by Gulf countries to forestall the reforms promised ...

On Thursday,  Amnesty International published a report on the killings, detentions, and torture that took place during the January 25 revolution.  The 123-page report details violent acts committed by security forces in dispersing peaceful demonstrators, including the use of tear gas, water cannons, rubber bullets, and live ammunition.  Few in the Egyptian government now dispute the facts listed in the report, but Amnesty stresses that much more must be done ...

Justin Gengler, writing for Foreign Affairs, highlights his 2009 survey of political attitudes among Bahraini Shia in contradiction to King Hamd bin Isan al-Khalifa's recent op-ed in the Washington Times; in which the King claimed that the opposition had been "hijacked" by extremists with ties to foreign governments, namely Iran.  The claims of the Bahraini government, Gengler argues, try to enforce the notion that Baharain's Shi'a population support and desire ...

On Friday, the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission hosted a hearing on the human rights situation in Bahrain.  The commission – chaired by James McGovern (D-MA) and Frank Wolf (R-VA) – requested the testimony of the following individuals: Joe Stork, Deputy Director of the Middle East and North Africa programs at Human Rights Watch (HRW); Maryam Al-Khawaja, Head of Foreign Relations Office at the Bahrain Center for Human Rights (BCHR); ...