# Will Tunisian revolution inspire actions in other nations? (Now following Egypt.) \[ed. title\] **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [January 15, 2011, 9:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-tunisian-revolution-inspire-actions-in-other-nations-now-following-egypt-ed-title/567703 "2011-01-15T09:24:48Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 26
**Author:** ![straight\_man](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/straight_man/32/3027_2.png) [@straight\_man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/straight_man)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2011, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-tunisian-revolution-inspire-actions-in-other-nations-now-following-egypt-ed-title/567703/501 "2011-02-12T19:52:23Z")
> [@Malthus](#): > > Dunno. Jordan is the most ‘Palestinian’ of states, but it is reasonably pro-Israeli. Iran has very few Palestinians, but it is the most relentlessly anti-Israeli state there is. It has more to do with power than with culture. Iran and Israel seem to be the only potential regional hegemons (Israel the current one, Iran the potential next one, though I don’t think the transition will happen soon, if ever.) In contrast, Jordan has to get along with Israel or face the consequences of a very hostile, very power next-door neighbour. Also, when Syria helped the Palestinian uprising in Jordan (by sending tanks into Jordan), Israel scared them off with military maneuvers on their border. On the culture side, Palestinians are very excluded in countries where they live (and were born and will die, at this point). IOW, Israel and Jordan have lots of common interests; Iran and Jordan have lots of opposing interests. Power matters. > [@jayjay](#): > > Mubarak had to deal with a vastly more interconnected world. Facebook, twitter, all-pervasive cellphone use, 24/7 news cycle, the www, plus the effects of Islam’s more peaceful beliefs on a secular but not atheistic government (as opposed to China). Plus the influence of Europe and the US, which, at the time of Tiananmen, had no real influence in China. Mubarak didn’t have the metaphorical room or privacy to crack down. > > Which is all not even mentioning the Egyptian military, too. Honestly, world opinion doesn’t really matter when you’re being forced to give up all your power. The relevance of media was how it let people organize within the country. Also, the military is the really key point. The conscripted Egyptian military just plain wasn’t going to fire on Egyptian civilians without a really, really good reason. The Chinese military was. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2011, 8:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-tunisian-revolution-inspire-actions-in-other-nations-now-following-egypt-ed-title/567703/502 "2011-02-12T20:13:00Z")
Even **elected** officials are getting Tunisia-slapped! Just saw a CNN clip of a protest in Milan demanding the recently-sex-scandalled Berlusconi step down. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2011, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-tunisian-revolution-inspire-actions-in-other-nations-now-following-egypt-ed-title/567703/503 "2011-02-12T20:20:05Z")
> [@Invisible\_Chimp](#): > > I’ve read reports that an anti-Gaddafhi rally is scheduled for Feb. 17. FYI, Wikipedia has a (constantly updated) page on the [2010-2-11 Arab world protests.](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_Arab_protests) Good aggregator for the running events here. And, yes: > [@](#): > > \*\*Libya > > January\*\* > > From 13–16 January, upset at delays and corruption, protesters in Darnah, Benghazi, Bani Walid and other cities in Libya broke into and occupied housing that the government was building.[83][84] By 27 January the government had responded to the unrest with a $24 billion investment fund to provide housing and development.[38] > > In late January, Jamal al-Hajji, a writer, political commentator and accountant, “call[ed] on the internet for demonstrations to be held in support of greater freedoms in Libya” inspired by the Tunisian and Egyptian uprisings.[85] He was arrested on 1 February by plain-clothes police officers and charged on 3 February with injurying someone with his car. Amnesty International claimed that as al-Hajji had previously been imprisoned for his non-violent political opinions, the real reason for the present arrest appeared to be his call for demonstrations.[85] > > **17 February “Day of Rage”** > > A “Day of Rage” in Libya and by Libyans in exile is planned for 17 February.[62][86][87] The National Conference for the Libyan Opposition stated that “all” groups of opposed to President Muammar al-Gaddafi in Libya and in exile plan protests against Gaddafi on 17 February, in memory of demonstrations in Benghazi on 17 February 2006 that were initially against the Jyllands-Posten Muhammad cartoons and became protests against the President.[87] The plans to protests are inspired by the 2010–2011 Tunisian and Egyptian uprisings.[87] In early February, Gaddafi met with “Libyan political activists, journalists, and media figures” and “warned” them that they would be “held responsible” if they participated “in any way in disturbing the peace or creating chaos in Libya”.[87] ---
**Author:** ![Peremensoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ce7236/32.png) [@Peremensoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peremensoe)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2011, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-tunisian-revolution-inspire-actions-in-other-nations-now-following-egypt-ed-title/567703/504 "2011-02-12T20:22:05Z")
> [@straight\_man](#): > > Iran and Israel seem to be the only potential regional hegemons (Israel the current one, Iran the potential next one, though I don’t think the transition will happen soon, if ever.) Why not? I’d have said Israel losing its position is one of the easier predictions for the region. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2011, 8:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-tunisian-revolution-inspire-actions-in-other-nations-now-following-egypt-ed-title/567703/505 "2011-02-12T20:47:56Z")
Meanwhile, in Palestine, [Abbas announces presidential and legislative elections for September.](http://www.mercurynews.com/breaking-news/ci_17371164?nclick_check=1) ---
**Author:** ![straight\_man](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/straight_man/32/3027_2.png) [@straight\_man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/straight_man)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2011, 5:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-tunisian-revolution-inspire-actions-in-other-nations-now-following-egypt-ed-title/567703/506 "2011-02-13T05:48:22Z")
> [@spark240](#): > > Why not? I’d have said Israel losing its position is one of the easier predictions for the region. Well, sure, nobody stays on top forever, but Iran lacks the capacity at the moment (and isn’t going to magically get better), and just about nobody wants them to be the hegemon. Hence the stuff on Wikileaks about Gulf leaders wanting the US to bomb. Keep in mind, Iran is predominantly non-Arab, so they’re almost as much outsiders as Israelis. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2011, 6:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-tunisian-revolution-inspire-actions-in-other-nations-now-following-egypt-ed-title/567703/507 "2011-02-13T18:46:36Z")
Wait, how is Israel a regional hegemon? Is it the economic center of regional commerce? Does it have military bases all over the MENA? Israel is just the hot-tempered kid nobody in the neighborhood fucks with any more because he’s a lot tougher than he looks and his big brother is even worse. ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2011, 8:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-tunisian-revolution-inspire-actions-in-other-nations-now-following-egypt-ed-title/567703/508 "2011-02-13T20:24:49Z")
> [@BrainGlutton](#): > > Wait, how is Israel a regional hegemon? Is it the economic center of regional commerce? Does it have military bases all over the MENA? Israel is just the hot-tempered kid nobody in the neighborhood fucks with any more because he’s a lot tougher than he looks and his big brother is even worse. And the leading maufacturing center in the region, I do believe. ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2011, 9:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-tunisian-revolution-inspire-actions-in-other-nations-now-following-egypt-ed-title/567703/509 "2011-02-13T21:52:13Z")
> [@BrainGlutton](#): > > Wait, how is Israel a regional hegemon? Is it the economic center of regional commerce? Does it have military bases all over the MENA? Israel is just the hot-tempered kid nobody in the neighborhood fucks with any more because he’s a lot tougher than he looks and his big brother is even worse. Well, Israel has roughly the same GDP as Egypt, a country ten times its size, and the neighbors that do trade with it see good money from the relationship; and while it doesn’t have any foreign bases, it’s capable of projecting military power anywhere in the Middle East, which is something no Arab country can say. But no, Israel isn’t a regional hegemon. If any country can claim hegemony over the region, or at least is on its way there, it’s Turkey. That’s one reason Ankara has been so vocally anti-Israeli recently - it’s been trying to assert its leadership. ---
**Author:** ![Malthus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/85f322/32.png) [@Malthus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malthus)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2011, 10:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-tunisian-revolution-inspire-actions-in-other-nations-now-following-egypt-ed-title/567703/510 "2011-02-13T22:04:06Z")
> [@BrainGlutton](#): > > Wait, how is Israel a regional hegemon? Is it the economic center of regional commerce? Does it have military bases all over the MENA? Israel is just the hot-tempered kid nobody in the neighborhood fucks with any more because he’s a lot tougher than he looks and his big brother is even worse. Israel isn’t I think a “regional hegemon”. It can’t dominate either Egypt or Syria among its immediate neighbours (though neither can those countries dominate it); much less Saudi Arabia, Iran or Turkey. Amusingly, the Wiki article of regional hegemony mentions Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Israel, Iran and Turkey all as examples cited by someone or other of ‘regional hegemons’. Seems somewhat counter-intuitive to me to have more than one listed … > **[Regional hegemony](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Regional_hegemony)** > > In international relations, regional hegemony is the hegemony (political, economic, or military predominance, control or influence) of one independently powerful state, known as the regional hegemon over other neighboring countries. The relationship between regional hegemons and the other states within their spheres of influence is analogous to the relationship between a global hegemon and the other states in the international system. > The prominent international relations scholar John Mearsheime... ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2011, 12:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-tunisian-revolution-inspire-actions-in-other-nations-now-following-egypt-ed-title/567703/511 "2011-02-14T00:08:14Z")
Oh, and FTR, if the Egyptian Revolution needs to be associated with a color or a plant, I nominate “Papyrus Revolution.” What other plant is associated in the global public mind with Egypt? ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2011, 6:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-tunisian-revolution-inspire-actions-in-other-nations-now-following-egypt-ed-title/567703/512 "2011-02-14T06:01:24Z")
From what I understand, they’ve been calling it the “January 25 Revolution”, which is SOP for the region. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2011, 2:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-tunisian-revolution-inspire-actions-in-other-nations-now-following-egypt-ed-title/567703/513 "2011-02-14T14:42:15Z")
> [@Alessan](#): > > From what I understand, they’ve been calling it the “January 25 Revolution”, which is SOP for the region. Say, when are you Israelis going to take to the streets and overthrow your Jewish oppressors? ---
**Author:** ![newcomer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/e5b9ba/32.png) [@newcomer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/newcomer)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2011, 2:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-tunisian-revolution-inspire-actions-in-other-nations-now-following-egypt-ed-title/567703/514 "2011-02-14T14:43:42Z")
> [@BrainGlutton](#): > > Meanwhile, in Palestine, [Abbas announces presidential and legislative elections for September.](http://www.mercurynews.com/breaking-news/ci_17371164?nclick_check=1) Purpose of which is still void. ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2011, 2:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-tunisian-revolution-inspire-actions-in-other-nations-now-following-egypt-ed-title/567703/515 "2011-02-14T14:46:41Z")
> [@BrainGlutton](#): > > Say, when are you Israelis going to take to the streets and overthrow your Jewish oppressors? Next election? ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2011, 2:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-tunisian-revolution-inspire-actions-in-other-nations-now-following-egypt-ed-title/567703/516 "2011-02-14T14:47:19Z")
> [@newcomer](#): > > Purpose of which is still void. . . . Eh? ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2011, 4:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-tunisian-revolution-inspire-actions-in-other-nations-now-following-egypt-ed-title/567703/517 "2011-02-15T04:40:10Z")
BBC’s been showing film of the Tehran protest yesterday (Monday). Chanting specifically against Ali Khamenei. CNN report [here](http://edition.cnn.com/2011/WORLD/meast/02/14/iran.protests/index.html?hpt=T2#). ---
**Author:** ![FinnAgain](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/finnagain/32/12500_2.png) [@FinnAgain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FinnAgain)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2011, 4:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-tunisian-revolution-inspire-actions-in-other-nations-now-following-egypt-ed-title/567703/518 "2011-02-15T04:48:09Z")
[It’ll be interested to see how this plays out in Iran…](http://www.nytimes.com/2011/02/15/world/middleeast/15iran.html?_r=1&ref=iran) ---
**Author:** ![Johanna](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johanna/32/8318_2.png) [@Johanna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johanna)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2011, 12:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-tunisian-revolution-inspire-actions-in-other-nations-now-following-egypt-ed-title/567703/519 "2011-02-16T00:10:49Z")
> [@BrainGlutton](#): > > Even **elected** officials are getting Tunisia-slapped! Just saw a CNN clip of a protest in Milan demanding the recently-sex-scandalled Berlusconi step down. As Cleopatra goes, so goes Caesar. Who has just been indicted. 😃 Speaking of which, when are Americans going to flood the streets of DC chanting demands for the head of Boehner? ---
**Author:** ![Le\_Jacquelope](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e0b2c6/32.png) [@Le\_Jacquelope](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Le_Jacquelope)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2011, 2:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-tunisian-revolution-inspire-actions-in-other-nations-now-following-egypt-ed-title/567703/520 "2011-02-16T02:55:39Z")
> [@Johanna](#): > > As Cleopatra goes, so goes Caesar. Who has just been indicted. 😃 > > Speaking of which, when are Americans going to flood the streets of DC chanting demands for the head of Boehner? We’re going to have to wait until whites are no longer the majority in the U.S. for revolutions like that to happen. No, really. When you look at the exit polls 9 out of 10 blacks and 2 out of every 3 Hispanics voted for Democrats. The ONLY racial group that people like Boehner won with was white voters. (This is not racism, it is a fact of voting statistics.) Furthermore, non-white births became the majority of births in 2010. We may very well see a racially multi-lateral America by 2050 and going by current trends Republicanism will not survive. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-tunisian-revolution-inspire-actions-in-other-nations-now-following-egypt-ed-title/567703.md?page=25) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/will-tunisian-revolution-inspire-actions-in-other-nations-now-following-egypt-ed-title/567703.md?page=27)