Arab Spring

Questions?
What comes to mind when you think about the Arab Spring? Why now? Why this region? Is it over and/or was it successful? What was/is the significance?

Geography of the Arab Spring

Characteristics
Arab, not Sectarian (in general) Lower classes, Students, Laborers, Military Populist Social Media Civil Resistance (strikes, protests, and demonstrations) U.S. supported authoritarian regimes

Causes
Democratic deficit: dictatorship & authoritarian regimes Human rights violations Government corruption Economic turmoil A young, educated, and idol populace

Iran 2009
Protests about the 2009 Iranian Presidential Election June 13, 2009 Re-election of President President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad Opposition candidates: Mir-Hossein Mousav, Mehdi Karroubi Ayatollah Ali Khamenei: divine assessment Ahmadinejad: completely free and passions after a soccer match

Iran contd
Police and Basiji use of force and violence Iranian government response Foreign Intervention Green Revolution: protests in Iran and around the world Iranian Green Movement: group to protest the election Twitter Revolution

Timeline: December 2010

January 2011
A 40% increase in wages Called for political reforms of confessionalism President Michel Suleimans government suffered from multiple resignations New government formed 13 June 2011 King Abdullah II dismisses Prime Minister Rifai and his cabinet Months later, Abdullah dismisses Prime Minister Bakhit and his cabinet after complaints of slow progress on promised reforms

Lebanon

12 January Limited 2011

Protests and governmental changes

Jordan

14 January Ongoing 2011

Protests and governmental changes

January contd
17 Maurit January ania 2011 Subdued since May 2011 Hundreds of people took to the streets of Nouakchott Followed January 2011 independence referendum about South Sudan Protests in Khartoum and Al-Ubayyid Social media used to spread sites of protests, especially student protests President Omar al-Bashir announces he will not seek another term in 2015 Protestors emphasize allegiance to the Sultan Protest corrupt officials Economic concessions by Sultan Qaboos Increased government jobs and minimum wage Dismissal of ministers Granting of lawmaking powers to Oman's elected legislature Minor protests

17 Sudan January 2011

Subdued since April 2011

Minor protests

17 Oman January 2011

Ended May 2011

Protests and governmental changes

January contd
Saudi Arabia 21 January 2011 Sustained small protests in Eastern Saudi Arabia Economic concessions by King Abdullah Male-only municipal elections held 29 September 2011 after women tried to register as electors June 2011: 70 cases of women driving cars was recorded King Abdullah announces women's approval to vote and be elected in 2015 municipal elections and to be nominated to the Shura Council Overthrow of Hosni Mubarak; Mubarak charged for killing protesters Resignation of Prime Minister(s) Nazif and Shafik Assumption of power by the Armed Forces Suspension of the Constitution, dissolution of the Parliament Disbanding of State Security Investigations Service Dissolution of the NDP, the former ruling party of Egypt and transfer of its assets to the state 16 April 2011 Prosecution of Mubarak, his family and his former ministers Overthrow of Ali Abdullah Saleh; Saleh flees to the United States Resignation of MPs from the ruling party On 4 June, President Ali Abdullah Saleh is injured to Yemen On 22 January 2012, Saleh leaves power. Minor protests

Egypt

25 January 2011

Government overthrown on 11 February 2011 Protests ongoing

Government overthrown

Yemen

27 January 2011

President signs transition deal on 23 November 2011 Protests ongoing

Sustained civil disorder and governmental changes

February 2011
Iraq 10 February Ended December 2011 2011 Prime Minister Maliki announces that he will not run for a 3rd term; Resignation of provincial governors and local authorities Economic concessions by King Hamad bin Isa al-Khalifa Release of political prisoners Negotiations with Shia representatives GCC intervention at the request of the Government of Bahrain Head of the National Security Apparatus removed from post Black Thursday night raid against protestors at the Pearl Roundabout Formation of a committee to implement BICI report recommendations Overthrow of Muammar Gaddafi; Gaddafi killed by NTC forces UN-mandated military intervention ended with NATO withdrawal Opposition forces takes control of all Libyan cities Assumption of interim control by National Transitional Council International recognition of NTC as the sole governing authority for Libya Beginning of sporadic low-level fighting and clashes Major protests

Bahrain

14 February Ongoing 2011

Sustained civil disorder and governmental changes

Libya

Government overthrown on 23 15 February August 2011 2011 War ended 23 October 2011

Government overthrown

February contd
Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, the Emir of Kuwait, gave every Kuwaiti citizen 1,000 dinars and a free food grant for one year on 18 January 2011 (20th anniversary of liberation of Iraqi occupation Gift not extended to stateless Bedouins nd 19 February Bedouins protest 2 class status in Kuwaiti City June 2011: 10-year old Egyptian boy expelled for asking why didnt your country have a revolution? Protest break-out in response to expulsion 28 November 2011: Prime Minister Nasser Mohammed Al-Ahmed AlSabah resigns 6 December: Emir dissolved Parliament Political concessions by King Muhammed VI Referendum on constitutional reforms Respect to civil rights and an end to corruption

Kuwait

18 February Ongoing 2011

Protests and governmental changes

Morocco

20 February Ongoing 2011 26 February Subdued since May 2011 2011

Protests and governmental changes

Western Sahara

Minor protests

March and May 2011

Syria 15 March 2011 Ongoing Demand dismissal of President Bashir al-Assad 26 March 2011: Release of some political prisoners 21 April: End of Emergency Law Dismissal of Provincial Governors Military action in Hama, Daraa, Homs and other areas 5,000 protestors killed Resignations from Parliament Resignation of the Government Large defections from the Syrian army and clashes between soldiers and defectors July 2011: Formation of the Free Syrian Army Formation of the Syrian National Council Syria suspended from the Arab League Arab League sent an observing mission International support for a new Syrian government in exile Irans President Ahmadinejad called the protests plot to overthrow Assad, but later called for reforms

Sustained civil disorder and government changes

Israeli border areas

15 May 2011

Ended 5 June 2011

Major protests

Social Media
What is social media? What role did social media play? Could this have happened without social media?
1990s, 1980s, 1970s, etc.?

Government control Iran and Chinas experience with control

U.S. Responses
Should the U.S. support democratic elections in historically autocratic states? Should the U.S. support autocratic leaders in order to maintain stability? Should the U.S. support the protestors by offering moral support against the use of violence by the regimes? Encourage Arab leaders to cancel emergency laws Encourage control of the security forces to end corruption w/little violence Encourage the development of civic advocacy Economic aid Trade

U.S. Responses contd

U.S. supported the Tunisian and Egyptian people Sec. of State Hilary Clinton pledged $150 million in emergency aid to Egypt U.S. Export-Import Bank $80 billion in letters of credit to Egypt USAID $50,000 to Tunisia for disaster relief Today, UN Security Council drafted a resolution calling on Assad to step-down or face harsher measures in 15 days

Impact of the Arab Spring

Do you recognize the impact of these events globally?
Europe Central Asia East Asia Africa America

Roles of the Western powers? Economic effects?

Questions?
Why now? Why this region? Is it over and/or was it successful? How does this affect you? What was/is the significance?