Bahrain Analysis: 5-Point Guide to Crown Prince's "Return to Dialogue" (Gengler)

Crown Prince Salman's speech at the Manama Dialogue last Friday

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How fitting it would be if Bahrain's uprising were finally resolved in the same manner in which it originally was not resolved --- with a political deal brokered by the Crown Prince --- an appropriately absurd result to highlight even more starkly how far the turmoil, bloodshed, and political posturing of the previous two years accomplished *literally* nothing.

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Bahrain Feature: Not So United --- The Regime v. Sunni Political Groups (Al Hasan

Gathering of National Unity rally, February 2012Although conservatives within the ruling establishment will go to considerable lengths to ensure Shiite political movements are kept at bay, expect them to be equally relentless in ensuring an uncontested domination over its core Sunni constituency.

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Bahrain Analysis: Are the Sunni Movements Still Awake? (Gengler)

National Day Rally, 16 December 2011More than sixteen months have passed since the start of Bahrain's Sunni Awakening, the mass political mobilization of Sunni citizens launched exactly one week into last year’s Shi‘a-led uprising. While the unprecedented scale of the counter-movement was and still remains clear (supporters famously, if implausibly, claimed attendance of more than 300,000), what exactly it represented is as much a puzzle now as it was then.

More than a year later, these platforms remain ambiguous. Does the post-February explosion of popular political enthusiasm in this only-too-recently apolitical community represent a genuine shift in Bahrain’s political landscape? Or is the mobilization tied somehow to existing Sunni political powers—or even to the state itself?

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Bahrain Live Coverage: Regime Says, "This Protest Good, This Protest Bad"

An aerial view of Saturday's rally by the Gathering of National Unity, calling for union with Saudi Arabia and other Gulf Co-operation Council nations

See also Syria Live Coverage: Obama Says "Assad Must Go" --- But How?
Saturday's Bahrain Live Coverage: The Many 10,000s Marching

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1715 GMT: Clarifying our previous entry, Nabeel Rajab's lawyer Mohamad Al Jishi has been granted bail on the charge of inciting violence via Twitter, but the activist remains in detention on other charges. His next court hearing is on 30 May.

1200 GMT: The lawyer for human rights activist Nabeel Rajab sends the message, modifying earlier reports (see 1040 GMT), that his client will be freed on bail although he will not be able to leave Bahrain:

Nabeel Rajab will be released on bail and travel ban in twitter defamation case and adjourned the hearing to May 23. #twitdef #Bahrain

— Mohamed Al Jishi (@Mohamed_AlJishi) May 20, 2012

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Bahrain Analysis: The Anti-National Dialogue (Gengler)

The vast majority of those involved in the street movement could care less about any dialogue involving the government and [the opposition society] al-Wefaq, and indeed may simply be incited by it to act even more violently. Although one would imagine that this is already the operating assumption of all parties, the fact that the government is even willing to talk to al-Wefaq implies that both sides believe the latter can ensure the acquiescence of "the street" in the event of any agreement. Anyone taking bets on that? Because I want in.

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Syria, Bahrain, Libya (and Beyond) LiveBlog: Watching Homs

The clashes between President Saleh's forces and protesters in Yemen's capital Sana'a today --- 25+ protesters were killed and 100s injured

See also Tunisia Feature: Leading the Way on Women's Rights?
Israel-Palestine Feature: Trip by US Envoys Backfires, Palestinians Proceed to UN with Statehood Bid
Syria Video Feature: Tonight's Protests --- Executing Assad, Burning Russian Flag, and Calling for Protection
Bahrain Propaganda 101: How a US PR Firm Puts "News" in American Newspapers
Saturday's Syria, Bahrain, Libya (and Beyond) LiveBlog: Once Again They Rallied

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2100 GMT: Raw footage from Reuters of the events in Sana'a in Yemen today, with security forces killing dozens of protesters:

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