Unrest In Bahrain

As if unrest in Egypt and Libya was not enough, Bahrain is experiencing problems of its own. The tiny Gulf country has been experiencing chaos for two weeks now, as anti-government protesters organize in greater numbers. Much of the conflict in Bahrain stems from a strong religious clash. The country is populated with of 70% Shiite yet is controlled by Sunni rulers. The Shiites allege that the Sunni rulers have discriminated against them and subject them to other abuses as well. Crown Prince Salman bin Hamad al-Khalifa called off his army and sought discussions with the protestors. Indeed, several concessions have been made in attempt to please the protestors. A reorganization of the cabinet as well as a 25% reduction in monthly housing costs has been enacted to hopefully ameliorate the situation. Protestors have amassed outside sensitive locations such as the Bahrain Parliament in order to increase the pressure on the rulers. Shiite opposition is not a new theme for Bahrain; for years it has pushed for more economic and political equalities under the Sunni rule, according to the above article. Although Bahrain is an incredibly small country, its strategic position in the Gulf allows for passage of 20% of the world's oil supplies. While the Libyan chaos has certainly created uncertainty in the market for oil, it is only responsible for 2% of the world's production. If the Bahrain conflict escalates, a blockage of passage of 20% of the world's oil supplies would significantly increase the uncertainty in the oil markets.