14/02/2013 - Inside Bahrain

The situation currently unfolding in Bahrain has been portrayed in much of the international media as a simple case of democracy-seeking protesters confronting security forces in a bid to alter the political landscape of the country. However, closer inspection reveals some troubling dimensions that indicate Iran’s orchestration of violence and the presence – and activities – of Hezbollah both of which carry a deeply sectarian agenda to street protests. This Briefing titled Inside Bahrain that took place on 14 February reflected 14 months of field work conducted by Dr. Mitchell Belfer in the country. His talk illustrated the situation on the ground, showed the stakes involved and provided some solutions to the current impasse. The Briefing was intended to act as a neutral venue to intellectually deconstruct the events in Bahrain so that others, the interested public, would be able to formulate a more balanced opinion.

Dr. Belfer is Department Head, International Relations and European Studies at Metropolitan University Prague and Editor-in-Chief of Central European Journal of International and Security Studies. He is a frequent commentator in the international press on issues relating to the Middle East.

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