First light

This important work presents the past history, present condition and future prospects of the State of Bahrain from the military and strategic points of view. With its unique position in one of the world's great waterways. Bahrain has always been an object of attraction to expansionist outsiders. The author, His Highness Shaikh Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, describes how the Bahrainis have fought to protect their identity from the time of the advent of Islam in the seventh century, through the era of the appearance of European and Ottoman imperial powers in the Gulf, and the consolidation of the national identity under the Al Khalifa family, who have ruled Bahrain for the past two centuries. The work goes on to describe the development of the Bahrain Defence Force since the nation achieved full independence in 1971. The development of the Force is treated as the focus of the wider modernization of Bahrain. The author emphasizes two main themes - that the essential process of modernization must be consistent with Bahrain's cultural and religious heritage, neither advancing too fast nor too slowly, and that Bahrain, while remaining fiercely independent, will retain its traditional openness with its neighbours and brothers who share its heritage - first the fellow members of the Gulf Cooperation Council, and then the wider Arab world.