Sectarianism and Coup-Proofing Strategies in Bahrain.

The Bahraini security forces fulfilled their task of defending the regime without any qualms during the uprising that occurred in February and March 2011. The regime's coup-proofing strategy has been efficient. It is notably based on the exclusion of the Shias from the security apparatus in a country where the ruling dynasty comes from the Sunni minority and where the opposition is dominated by Shia Islamic movements. However, the recruitment pattern of the Bahraini security forces also results from the general civil-military relations characteristic of all the Gulf states. The increasingly tense factionalism inside the regime is likely to have an impact on the security forces. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]