Brief: Where art thou o Revolution?

After nearly five months of political upheaval that our children will come to know as the 2011 Middle East Revolution demonstrators across the region stand at the cross roads. From Morocco to Iran, the exhilaration of protest has given way in many places to the reality of planning and executing a revolution. While leaders in Tunisia and Egypt have fallen and others in Yemen and Syria seem close to tumbling into forced retirement, we must ask the question (as must the protesters) what has actually been achieved? To date there have been no new elections, no new constitutions (although these are being planned in Jordan and Morocco) and no real changes to political systems that continue to be top heavy i.e. strong executives with parliaments filled with members of the former, and current, ruling classes. In a sense nothing has changed, or is this view to narrow minded, too cynical? Possibly.

What I and many observers of the Middle East would like to believe is that the Middle East Revolution has achieved something more important than a coup or a simple regime change. It has changed the way people think. A new generation of young, computer literate and globally savvy youth have challenged a generation that relied on strong men and strong militaries. They have shocked an Arab demographic into getting real about democracy and allowing people the freedom to think and hope for more form their leaders, hopefully in ten years, elected....If you believe this you may also believe that George Bush only had the American people's best interests at heart when he decided to invade Iraq. Many people remain locked in a seemingly endless cycle of poverty and unemployment, Islamist extremism is growing in a number of areas across the region and ruling elites lock on power is far from diminished. Yet, a caution for the rulers. Yemen is the future for many countries in the Middle East if change is not begun. No oil, social disontent and dictatorship are a recipe for disaster...but a disaster that is perhaps a generation or more away for most.