Inside Story - Bahrain's Iron Fist
Three days after Hosni Mubarak was ousted from power in Egypt, the people of Bahrain took to the streets to make their grievances heard. They were not demanding an end to the monarchy - but more representation. But a violent crackdown against protesters saw a shift in their demands. The monarchy was quick to portray the popular uprising as sectarian. Troops from Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates entered Bahrain a month later as tensions began to grow. Now in the latest move, Bahraini authorities pledged to seek court approval to dissolve two Shia opposition groups for alleged links to the protests. Why did Bahrain opt for an iron-fist approach against pro-democracy protesters? And what is the nature of the role of regional players in this Gulf country? Inside Story discusses.