The Arab Spring

Photo: David Hoffman, Foreign Policy magazine

Arab Spring

The term Arab Spring has come to refer to the popular movement that began in early 2011 among Arab nations seeking to remove long-standing dictators, and their regimes.

The Arab Spring has witnessed the overthrow of long standing governments in Egypt, Tunisia and Libya.

Student Objectives: In this lesson students should be able to:

• Define what is meant by the phrase “Arab Spring”

• Explain the factors that triggered the Arab Spring.

• Contrast the levels of success among movements within various Arab nations that have sought to remove their governments

•Debate what the role of the U.S. and the West should be as these challenges to rule continue.

Today’s Objectives and Activities• Our main objective today, will be to continue to learn about the Arab Spring.

Activity 1 – Students will jigsaw the readings below. Upon reading:

1. Paraphrase meaning of term “Arab Spring”.2. Balloon new info. learned regarding Arab Spring.

“Arab Spring: What’s Next” Patricia Smith, NY Times Upfront, Sept. 19, 2011“How Might Arab Spring Change the Mideast? NY Times Upfront. P. 17, Sept. 17, 2012

Activity 2 – In teams of four, divide the following readings, and create Venn diagrams in order to contrast two incidents that helped launch the Arab Spring:

“In Tunisia: Act of One Fruit Vendor…” by Marc Fisher, The New York Times, March 26, 2011 “Movement Began With Outrage …”, by Jennifer Preston, The New York Times, Feb. 5, 2011.

Today’s Objectives and ActivitiesOur main objective today, will be to continue to learn about the Arab Spring.

Activity 1 – Students will complete a Reading for Information practice test.

Activity 2 – Students will analyze the events of the 2011 Libyan Revolution and decide whether they represented a positive or negative turn for the Arab Spring.

“Libya Overview article”, News Basics, April, 2011

Activity 3 – Students will engage in PowerPoint review of the Libyan revolution.

Interpreting Political Cartoons

What do each of these cartoons represent? How are they similar?

In addition to the revolutions in Egypt, Tunisia and Libya, there have been protests in other Arab nations such as Syria and Yemen.

Political Map of the Middle East

Revolution in Egypt

In February of 2011, Hosni Mubarak was forced from power in Egypt, after serving as the nation’s self declared president for three decades (1981-2011).

While the Egyptian military – long time backers of Mubarak – seemed to block democratic reforms at first, Egypt did finally hold democratic elections that have brought the Muslim Brotherhood to power.

Mubarak’s overthrow was triggered in part by the beating and killing of Khaleed Said, which spread on Facebook.

Why was Egypt referred to as the Facebook Revolution?

Overthrow of a Leader in Tunisia

The overthrow of Tunisia’s long time leader Ben Ali, took place after the abuse of Tunisian fruit vendor Muhammad Bouazizi, who subsequently immolated burned himself.

What do you think the status of the revolutions in Libya and Syria were at the time this cartoon was published?

Arab Spring Turns Violent in LibyaThe Arab Spring took a bloody turn when rebels took up arms to end four decades of rule by Moammar Gadhafy in Libya (1969-2011).

The Libyan revolt, inspired by events in Egypt and Tunisia, began in Feb. 2011.

Note: Due to the imprecision in translating Arabic into English, the name “Gadhafy” can appear in many forms – including Qaddafi, Khadafy, and many others.

Libya’s Rebels Needed Help

Due to Gadhafy’s willingness to use force, Libya’s revolution differed from Egypt’s and Tunisia’s in that it required outside intervention.

Early on, the rebels received political support from the Arab League, and African Union.

The Tipping Point

The “tipping point” came in March 2011 when the UN Security Council and NATO authorized “all means necessary” to protect Libya’s citizens. This resulted in establishment of a no-fly zone and ultimately airstrikes against Gadhafy’s army.

Gadhafy was captured and killed by rebels on Oct. 20, 2011.

Death of an AmbassadorOn Sept. 11, 2012, Ambassador to Libya was gunned down in the U.S. consulate in Benghazi.

Initially, the motive for the attacks seemed to be the production of a film that ridiculed the prophet Muhammad. There is also speculation that the attack was really an act of an Islamic extremist group, with deeper aims.

U.S. Ambassador to Libya, Christopher Stevens

Uprising in Syria

In March of 2011, protests against the regime of “President” Bashar al-Assad began in Dara, Syria. Assad launched a brutal crackdown against the protestors, many of whom eventually joined the Free Syria army.

To date more than 30,000 people have died according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.

The opposition, led by the Syrian Transition Council, is seeking outside intervention in its efforts to end four decades of rule by the Assad regime.

Left: Bashar al-Assad,Right: Hafez al-Assad

The Opposition in Syria

In part, the fighting in Syria is rooted in religious and ethnic differences, as the Assad family that has long ruled Syria is from a minority Shiite clan known as the Alawites.

Most of the rebels are Sunni Muslims.

PBS FrontlineThe Battle for Syria

This documentary contrasts the fighting tactics of the Free Syria Army is fighting, with those of the government.

Key questions:• How do the tactics of the two sides differ?• What are your impressions of the city of Aleppo that is featured in this film?

Key vocabulary: sniper, defector, Saladin