The First Middle Eastern Revolution since 1979
juan cole
14-Jan-2011 (4 comments)

In some ways, the Tunisian Revolution is potentially more consequential for the Middle East than had been the Iranian one. In Iran, Shiite ayatollahs came to power on the back of a similar set of popular protests, establishing a theocracy. That model appealed to almost nobody in the Middle East, with the exception of Shiites in Iraqi and Lebanese slums; and theocratic Shiite Arabs were a minority even in their own ethnic group. Proud Sunni Arab nationalists, in Egypt, Syria, and elsewhere, saw nothing to like there, even though they were saddled with a motley assortment of authoritarian presidents for life, military dictators, kings and emirs. Iranian leaders were shocked and dismayed to find that they had made a ‘revolution in one country.’ Their influence would come from championing the (Sunni) Palestinians and supporting Lebanon when it was attacked by Israel, not from their form of government. Iran was not like the French revolutionary republic, which really did become a model over time for much of Europe. It was an odd man out.

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Roozbeh_Gilani

On democracy and food prices...

by Roozbeh_Gilani on Sat Jan 15, 2011 01:11 PM PST

J. Cole writes:

"Of course, there is no guarantee that Tunisia will now move in a democratic direction. The demands of the protesters have to do with high food prices and unemployment."

I think the vast majority of Tunisians - indeed the world population - would not care less about "Democracy", so long as they have jobs, food , decent health care and houses to live in. 

"Personal business must yield to collective interest."


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incognito

Thanks for the link

by incognito on Sat Jan 15, 2011 12:57 PM PST


However, bear in mind, there is a night-and-day difference between what a “forward-looking”* analyst says today, and what “nostalgic reactionaries” have been saying for the past 30 years.

*, Both quotes are from the comments section of Juan Cole’s blog.


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G. Rahmanian

Ahmadinejad & The Mullahs

by G. Rahmanian on Sat Jan 15, 2011 03:22 AM PST

Are Pissing In Their Pants!


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Darius Kadivar

What took you so long Juan ?

by Darius Kadivar on Fri Jan 14, 2011 03:45 PM PST

What took you So Long Juan to Realize what we have been saying 30 years on ? ...


"Iran (i.e: IRI) was not like the French revolutionary republic, which really did become a model over time for much of Europe. It was an odd man out." - Juan Cole

 


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