Arab Winter

The problem resides in the Arab world, where the political climate has only two seasons: brief springs and very long winters. It may not be an insoluble problem, but there’s certainly no solution in sight.

Ten years ago this week, Mohamed Bouazizi, a street vendor in Tunisia, set himself alight in front of a government building in rage at the corrupt dictatorship that had ruined his young life. His sacrifice wakened hope in millions of others—but then half a million of them also died, although not at their own hands, and the rest went quiet. It was called the Arab Spring.Photograph courtesy of Commons Wikimedia

Opinion

BY GWYNNE DYER

December 17, 2020

LONDON, U.K.—Ten years ago this week, Mohamed Bouazizi, a street vendor in Tunisia, set himself alight in front of a government building in rage at the corrupt dictatorship that had ruined his young life. His sacrifice wakened hope in millions of others—but then half a million of them also died,...

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