The government conducted a brief flurry of violence early on, and then pulled back to negotiate.
The protesters continue to protest but nothing much seems to be happening on the streets as talks go on with a divided opposition.
It seems like the government is trying to wait out the protesters and in the end give in less than some protesters may want right now as people want to get back to their lives and accept what they can get.
Unless a more radical group takes the lead in firing up the protesters:
The return of Hassan Mushaima, a senior Shiite figure, could mark a new phase for an anti-government movement in the tiny nation which is strategically important for the U.S. because it hosts the U.S. Navy's 5th Fleet.
Mushaima heads a Shiite group known as Haq, which is considered more hard-line than the main Shiite political bloc that has led two weeks of protests. Mushaima returned Saturday from several months of voluntary exile in London, with a stop in Lebanon.
I'd also like to know what Iran is doing trying to undermine the government.
Or what the Saudis are prepared to do. I imagine the Bahrain monarch can play good cop/bad cop by telling the protesters he'd love to give in more but those darned Saudis will march in and clamp down if they get too worried about what we give you.
