The Political Situation and the Role of the West in the Arab Uprisings

Abdullahi Ayoade, Ahmad (2016) The Political Situation and the Role of the West in the Arab Uprisings. International Journal of Social Science and Humanities Research, 4 (2). pp. 472-478. ISSN 2348-3156

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Abstract

The Arab uprisings met several analysts, scholars, writers, predictors and even fortune-tellers unaware. Having begun in Tunisia, in only a few months of its commencement a clear indication emerged to suggest that Arab societies are embarked on a true democratic political reform. The subsequent fall of authoritarian governments in several Arab states such as Egypt, Libya, and Yemen cements this belief. Ironically, after over four years of the uprisings, the early belief seems to have faded in some countries such as Egypt and Libya, and it seems that revolutionists are hoping to return to life before the uprising, as the struggle for change has proven more difficult than anticipated. Countries like Syria, Bahrain, Yemen, Libya, and Egypt seems to have had their revolutionary efforts hijacked either by opposing ideology or Western influences. To some extent, apart from Tunisia, Western influences and interferences have largely contributed to the result of the uprising. On one hand, the West wants to maintain the presence of authoritarian regimes as far as it serves its interest. On the other, it prefers to pretend as if it upholds the principle of democracy by popular voices and choices in the Arab world. This paper examines the role of the West in the Arab uprising, whether such role represents Arab revolutionary vision or not, and to what level has it affected the outcomes of the uprising? The paper concludes with recommendations for political stability in the Arab states. The research adopts descriptive and analytical methods, and the outcome shows that the West has contributed heavily to the instability and unrest across the Arab region.

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