In Bahrain, a Crisis Averted Leaves Long-Term Challenges

Bahrain's government on June 1 will lift the country's state of emergency. While the crisis on the island has been contained in the short term, continued Shiite discontent is likely to provide Iran with strategic opportunities in the long term. Therefore, even as it signals willingness to engage in dialogue with the opposition, the government is looking to lay the foundations for a permanent Gulf Cooperation Council military presence on the island.