(Dallas Morning News) - The elections in May were Bahrain's first since 1973. But the results may have left monarchies of the Persian Gulf region thinking hard about democracy, as Islamic parties opposed to the government won a solid majority. Bahrain is the home port for the U.S. Navy's 5th Fleet, the battle group that patrols the Persian Gulf, and the kingdom is a crucial link in any war with Iraq. Members of the ruling Khalifa family warn that wide-open democracy would lead to a Shiite government that would kick the Navy out of Bahrain, an idea that has support among many young Bahrainis.
2002-08-13 00:00:00Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive