Talking with a co-worker who grew up in Egypt...

[snooper2]

He was telling me how he remembers Mubarak coming to power when he was a kid. Hopefully Saudia is next...

[nadinbrzezinski]

1. I did not grow in the region but yes... it will spread from Yemen north

(that is saudi Arabia)

Wait for Syria to have some fun too.

[dkf]

2. Have you seen any good pieces on what this means for us and the world?

Edit: I just saw your post on Egypt. Will read.

Thanks.

[Ozymanithrax]

5. Syria has already tightened restrictions and there is one report it is shut down...

Syria tightens Internet ban after Tunis unrest - users

Reports: Syria Internet Down As Egypt Blackout Catches On In Middle East

[nadinbrzezinski]

6. As expected let the people get any ideas

[eissa]

8. As someone who has family in Syria

I hope Assad remains there forever. Sorry, but we'll take a benevolent dictator over the chaos that is Iraq or Iranian style Islamic theocracy any day. I know I've argued in other posts re: Egypt that this is not always the case, but Egypt and Syria are two different situations. The collapse of the Syrian government would look more like Iraq today. I don't see that happening in Egypt. There is already a transitional figure-head prepared to take over -- Baradei enjoys wide-spread support in Egypt and would provide leadership, sealing off any power vacum. The same is not true for Syria; it would be a blood-bath.

[Ozymanithrax]

10. At this time, Iraq is not a thoecracy...and was not during Sadam's rule.

Nor is there evidence that the current winds of revoultion will bring in a wave of Islamic theocracys. The dictatorial regeims across the middle east tolerate and encouraged by the U.S. or other Western powers have brought us to this point. Seeing them continue into the indefinite futre will not make things better.

[Warpy]

12. I'd expect a few to become theocracies

as a way to cleanse the country of all vestiges of colonialism. Another way to do that is to go Communist. Neither system is stable long term.

Saudi is a separate case. It's a theocratic monarchy, so it will be fascinating what happens when they finally topple the Wahab royals.

[tabatha]

3. I was thinking about this last night

and wondering if Obama's speech to the Muslim world was the seed.

When a country or a group of people are against someone or wary of them (US), then they tend to unite.

If the common danger is gone, then they are probably more open to looking inward to their own issues. Also, if they see someone not exactly of their kind, but more similar, reaching out to them than say Bushes, etc, then they may feel less fearful. Don't know - possibly amateur psychology on my part.

But the bankers certainly helped with the economic mess (thank GWB) and probably WikiLeaks helped, as well.

[nadinbrzezinski]

7. Nah this is far more local than a speech

[tabatha]

9. It has been local for more than 30 years.

[Ozymanithrax]

11. What we are seeing is widespread discontent with autocratic regeims...

where people glimpsed the rest of the world as through a window. It may be the INTERNET that did more to start the pot boiling. We also can not forget that the economy that has caused problems here hurt many of these countries even more. You have a large, young, unemployed population who glimpsed something better.

In fact, these revolutions resemble what happened on the streets of Tehran last year. It failed in Tehran. We will see if that same result happenes elsewhere.

[tabatha]

13. Agreed.

The South African riots were spear-headed by the youth as well.

Hopefully, it does not end like Iran.

[SharonAnn]

4. Yes, I remember when Sadat was assassinated about this time in 1981.