Current Events: The Arab Spring (Illustrated)

A barrel of gunpowder is relatively safe until a match is put to it, and then theres a big bang and an awful mess. Set the barrel in an arsenal with other explosives and flammable materials, and theres no telling how bad that mess will be. In 1914 an Archduke was shot, not a very special murder in and of itself, but it set off World War I, and that spread across a continent ready and waiting for it to be started. Nearly 200 years later, in 2010, in keeping with the lowered tone of society, it was a barrow boy driven by despair to suicide who triggered the spreading revolution of angry Arabs against their autocratic governments. In a span of a few months, autocratic regimes that had held power for decades fell in countries like Egypt and Libya, while others in Yemen and Syria have been left barely clinging to life. Some have been mostly peaceful; others have been brutally opposed by governments. All face an uncertain future. Current Events: The Arab Spring cant provide the answers to all of the burning questions, but in a region whose politics and demonstrations have been turbulent and rapid, this quick primer will bring readers up to date on all of the events taking place in countries affected by the Arab Spring. With chapters on each nation in turmoil, this easy to read guide provides answers to some questions while also posing questions currently without answers.