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The events of 2011 surpassed the wildest expectations of the potential for
political change in the Arab world. First, there were two surprisingly sudden
resignations: Tunisian President Zine el-Abidine Ben Ali on January 14th
(after a mere four weeks of demonstrations) and shortly afterwards, on February 11th, Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak (after demonstrations lasting
about three weeks). Then, although the grueling back and forth between demonstrators and state security forces in Bahrain, Yemen, Libya and Syria had
resulted in a form of deadlock, the expulsion of Muammar al-Qadhafi, who
had ruled Libya since 1969, from Tripoli on August 23rd gave rise to new
hope: perhaps the democratic wave sweeping across the Arab world had not Read Full Article ››