Bahrain is unlikely to feature on the agenda when US President George W. Bush meets Nouri al-Maliki, the Iraqi prime minister, in Jordan on Thursday in search of a magic formula to turn the tide of violence in Iraq.

But the tiny Gulf kingdom - host to the US 5th naval fleet - has been buffeted too by the shifting winds of US policy in the region and will be looking to Mr Bush for signs of any fresh change in direction. Because Bahrain, located near Iraq, is also divided between Islam's two predominant sects, the spreading fall-out from the sectarian killing in Iraq is also magnified there.