Diplomatic Challenges of the Arabian Peninsula Case Study

Diplomatic Challenges of the Arabian Peninsula - Case Study Example In addition, Bahrain has come to be recognized as one of the most politically influential states in the Middle Eastern region and it is predicted that it is going to be one of the most influential states in the world in the near future. The influence gained by this kingdom in the region is largely based on the fact that it is an ally of the western powers namely Britain and the United States, and this has created a situation where it has been able to host the naval fleets of these two countries (Radsch, 2013). In fact, it is because of its strategic importance in the Persian Gulf region that Bahrain has come to be considered by western countries, such as the United States, as being one of their most valuable allies. This consideration has made this island kingdom, which would normally have been just another weak state in the region, confident in its development since it is protected from external threats through the presence of a naval fleet of the United States. The fact that Bahrai n is among the most stable states in the Persian Gulf region and that it is one of the staunchest allies of the United States has made it most attractive to both potential investors as well as economic planners from already developed countries who are attempting to have a stake in the future of Bahrain. While this has been the case, it has been observed that the kingdom of Bahrain has continuously attempted to remain independent of outside political influence, especially in recent times when it has resisted attempts to allow for democratic reforms within it and it has instead opted to make its own influence felt in the region. Despite the fact that Bahrain is one of the emerging... The popular opinion in many countries in the west is that Bahrain is an authoritarian state whose people do not have the political freedom to determine their own destiny. In addition, because it is in the Middle East, the common perception in the west is that this authoritarianism is based on the Islamic religion. While this is the case, most of the individuals in this country are surprisingly very liberal in matters concerning religion and they only appear to be fanatical because of the stereotype that ha been developed concerning Middle Easterners. The royal family of Bahrain is a Sunni dynasty ruling over a majority population of Shia Muslims, which has created a situation where there is a lot of tension in the country. The fact that the royal family is still in power can be attributed to the efforts of diplomacy that it has managed to undertake to secure itself from the threats against from within. it is a fact that the people of Bahrain do not always follow the lead set by Iran on religious matters and in fact, very few people in Bahrain share the same religious point of view as that which is propagated by the religious establishment of Iran. This has created a situation where they are extremely conscious of their identity as Arabs first before being Shia Muslims.