Arab Spring

After decades of apparent political stagnation, the Arab world saw the first glimmers of democratic change in January 2011 when, inspired by the self-immolation of a Tunisian streetvendor, Tunisians rose up and ousted strongman Zine El-Abidine Ali. Protests quickly spread across the region, from Morocco to Bahrain. The “Arab Spring” was a remarkable outpouring of pent-up political frustration and economic grievances, mostly manifested in non-violent passive resistance and popular demonstrations for democracy and economic opportunity.

These street protests also succeeded in toppling Egypt’s Hosni Mubarak, and forced Yemen’s Ali Abdullah Saleh to flee temporarily into Saudi Arabia, while massive campaigns are still on-going in Libya, Syria, and Bahrain. As the regional dynamics have changed, so too has the Arab world’s interactions with the United States, primarily due to Washington’s deeply ambiguous role in the Arab Spring. In addition to Washington’s lukewarm support for the ouster of some of their longtime allies, the events of the past few months have put in stark relief the growing gap between American policies and Arab aspirations. Recent polling shows that since the revolutions in Egypt and Tunisia, Arab public opinion of the United States is at an all-time low, and Washington’s inability to successfully influence events on the ground has been a highly indicative symptom of our nation’s growing regional irrelevance.

AAI Issue Brief: Arab Spring

From AAI

• Watch and Comment: Chuck Hagel Confirmation Hearing — 01/31/2013
• Ros-Lehtinen to Chair MENA Subcommittee — 01/11/2013
• Morocco: A Strategic US Ally — 12/20/2012
• The Real Victory Still Lies Ahead — 11/08/2012
• Romney Doubles Down on Failed Foreign Policies — 10/11/2012
• Inside Romney’s Foreign Policy Team — 10/11/2012
• Congress Calls for Release of Bahraini Doctors — 10/05/2012

Countdown

• Secrets and Bombshells — 09/18/2012
• The Battles Continue — 05/23/2012
• For Your Amusement — 05/04/2012
• America’s Gain, Countdown’s Loss — 12/06/2011
• Read at Your Own Risk — 11/29/2011

From Dr. Zogby

• The Rise and Fall of Iran in Arab and Muslim Public Opinion — 03/11/2013
• Arabs Can Act for Syria and Palestine�Before it’s Too Late — 01/07/2013
• Second Term/Second Chance: Arab Attitudes Toward U.S. Rebound in 2012 — 12/30/2012
• Gaza: Clarifying Israel’s Intentions — 11/26/2012
• Romney’s Foreign Policy:  “About Face” or “Two-Faced”? — 10/29/2012

Resources

• Arab Opinion Polls: U.S. Withdrawal from Iraq, Arab Political Concerns and Social Media — 01/04/2012
• Arab Attitudes Toward Syria: 2011 — 10/25/2011
• Arab Attitudes: 2011 — 07/13/2011