A region in upheaval

Editor's note: This story was updated on Feb. 28 to reflect the latest developments in the region.

BAHRAIN

Thousands of Bahraini protesters gather in the capital, Manama, on Feb. 15, 2011. (Adam Jan/AFP/Getty Images)

The Leader:

King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa has ruled the tiny Gulf state of Bahrain since 1999, when he succeeded his father, Isa bin Salma.

Upon his ascension to the throne, King Hamad began a series of political reforms, granting more rights to women and ending an era in Bahrain known for extreme repression and brutal torture.

Aided by record high oil prices in the past decade, King Hamad turned his island-state from a backwater port into an affluent nation where the average home earns more than $40,000. King Hamad formed strong ties to the United States at an early age, starting with his attendance at the Army Command and Staff College at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas.

The Gripe:

Bahrain is the smallest state in the Gulf at just under the size of New York City’s five boroughs — but its sectarian divide is enormous.

King Hamad and his Sunni leadership in Bahrain rule over the island’s more than 700,000 residents, the majority of which are from the Shiite sect of Islam.

Though Bahrain is religiously tolerant, the Shiite majority has long complained of political and economic discrimination, especially the lack of representation in the upper echelons of government and the squalor of some Shiite communities outside the capital.

And although U.S. diplomats called King Hamad a leader who “understands that Bahrain cannot prosper if he rules by repression,” in secret cables released by WikiLeaks, several human rights groups have criticized the kingdom’s recent return to the use of torture during interrogations.

The Timing:

Bahrain has witnessed a number of small clashes between the state’s security forces and Shiite minority since 2007. But protests this week in Bahrain were timed and heavily influenced by the recent success of opposition groups in Tunisia and Egypt.

On Feb. 15, demonstrators marched directly to the Pearl Roundabout, a major traffic circle in the capital Manama. Some protesters are referring to it as “Bahrain’s Tahrir,” the city center in Cairo that provided a focal point for Egyptian demonstrators calling for the ouster of Hosni Mubarak.

The Protests:

Thousands of protesters, primarily in Shiite villages near the capital, marched the week of Feb. 14. Some, however, have demonstrated under the slogan, “Not Sunni, Not Shiite, just Bahraini,” implying that a broader cultural cross-section of Bahrainis are interested in changing the status quo.

After two days of a violent crackdown that left at least five dead, Bahrain leaders withdrew tanks and riot police from Pearl Square on Feb. 19. Thousands of protesters cheered at the military withdrawal, pouring back into the square in jubilation. Though many remained wary of the regime's intentions and still called for a change in leadership.

Government forces had been quick to open fire on peaceful protesters Feb. 17 and 18. As many as 50 people were injured in clashes on Feb. 18, which occurred as hundreds of youths who had attended the funeral of a protester killed earlier began walking to the square. Early on Feb. 17, security forces raided an open camp where protesters were sleeping and in the ensuing violence of tear gas and rubber bullets, at least three people were killed.

The Stakes:

The economic and political stakes for prolonged unrest in tiny Bahrain would be huge for the entire region.

Bahrain’s Sunni neighbors, most notably the monarchy in Saudi Arabia, would be wary to see an Egypt-style toppling of a neighboring king, especially by a Shiite-led group. The Saudis fear a greater Iranian influence on their backdoor in Bahrain, which is separated only by a 16-mile long causeway over the Gulf.

Bahrain is also a great ally of the United States, offering proximity and a strategic counterbalance to Iranian influence. Bahrain is home to a major U.S. naval base serving the Fifth Fleet, and houses two U.S. Patriot missile batteries, according to a 2009 secret American cable released by WikiLeaks.

— Jon Jensen