Saturday October 13, 2012

I've Been Thinking:

Riots and tear gas have again rocked the Arab island country of Bahrain.

Bahrain is a tiny island country located in the Persian Gulf. It is a very rich country that suffers from Sunni/Shiite strife. The ruling class in Bahrain is Sunni and composes about 30% percent of the population while the vast majority, some 70%, is Shiite.
33 islands make up the country. The entire population is 1.2 million. The largest of the islands, called Bahrain Island, is a mere 34 miles long and 11 miles wide.

Since February of 2011 there have been tensions, protests and riots that have at times become violent. The Shiites want a role to play - but they are in a bind. Their backers are Iran and they do not wish to replicate another Iran in Bahrain.

The Shiite demonstrators want an equal footing with the Sunnis. One of the reasons the crisis began in 2011 is that Shiites were removed from their positions as civil servants, officers and professionals in the army because Sunni leadership was afraid that Shiites were gaining too much power.

The tensions continue and they will not stop. Local leaders have arrested Shiite organizers while Iran continues to support the demonstrations. The demonstrators have been fueled by the Arab spring.

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