Ed Husain discusses his recent meetings with the royal family and oppositionists in Bahrain.

The country's instability should not be viewed as a simple push for democratic reforms, and the outcome has implications for Iran's role in the region, says CFR's Ed Husain.

In this Markets and Democracy Brief, CFR's Mark Lagon argues for a more consistent approach to human rights promotion than the United States has often pursued in the past.

Though Bahrain's crown prince is in the United States to restore frayed relations, the government is pressing its campaign against the protest movement, despite its ending of martial law and a call for national dialogue, says Middle East correspondent Roy Gutman.

The International Crisis Group examines the Bahrainian protests and their impact on regional and global politics. The report concludes that Bahrain’s crackdown and Saudi Arabia’s 14 March military intervention could turn a mass movement for democratic reform into an armed conflict while regionalising a genuinely internal political struggle.

Ray Takeyh says events happening outside of Libya are the more critical regional developments in the Arab world.

Steven A. Cook warns that as violence worsens in Libya, Bahrain, Yemen, and Syria, dreams of a democratic Middle East may be more of a nightmare in the short run.

Opposition movements in Bahrain and Yemen are hobbled by societal and sectarian divisions that were finessed in Tunisia and Egypt, says Middle East expert Kristin Smith Diwan.

The Saudi intervention to help quell a Shia-dominated uprising in neighboring Bahrain is misguided and the kingdom should instead focus on guiding the way to political modernization, writes CFR's Ray Takeyh.

Jean-Francois Seznec analyzes the implications behind the Saudi Arabia's intervention in Bahrain.

Tahiyya Lulu explains how, "Bahrain's regime has driven a wedge between Sunnis and Shias with its denial of civil rights and promotion of economic disparity".

Isobel Coleman writes: "If a brave new world of electoral politics does emerge, women's rights activists will have to be savvy - commanding international support without raising fears of undue Western influence."

Bahrain's security forces are loyal to the Sunni regime, which means the unrest isn't likely to lead to collapse, says expert F. Gregory Gause III. Still, the protests pose a dilemma for the United States, which has chided the government but views Bahrain as an ally.

Twenty years after Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm, CFR hosts a panel of former administration officials for a discussion of their roles in, and lessons learned from, the Gulf War.