Tunisia:
The military turned against the autocratic, corrupt president under pressure from the public. The first interim government was also forced out under pressure from demonstraters. Now it seems "the regime" is much bigger than Ben Ali. An old figure who had served as First Minister under the mentor of Ben Ali was called for service. The agency of political police is dissolved The main task is to set up a constitutional convention.
Egypt:
Mubarak is out; so are the VP and the last government he appointed. The new prime minister was a non-corrupt old minister who participated in Tahrir Square demonstrations. The State Security Investigation Agency has been replaced by the National Security Agency. Both chambers of parliament have been dismissed. The old constitution is being amended.
Libya:
The peaceful demonstrations that began on February 17 in Benghazi turned into an armed rebellion as Qaddafi pulled out his militias from towns in the East. The rebels formed the Libyan National Provisional Council, headed by the former Minister of Justice. Qaddafi and his senior military officer called their opponents "rats," the term Italian colonial leaders used to describe Libyan resistance leaders. The Qaddafi regime is using military assets, including top of the line planes, tanks and military vehicles, against the poorly armed rebels. Al-Zawiyah, the nearest town to the capital, came under heavy fire. In Tripoli and other places heavy guns were used against any opposition gatherings. The international community turned against the regime; so did a good chunck of Libya's diplomats who cannot be controlled by Qaddafi. Now Western power along with the Arab League and some Arab governments will participate in enforcing a No-Fly Zone in Libya and will attack Qaddafi assets.
Yeman:
Demonstrations are gainining momentum, while the Saleh regime is losing ground. Many of his allies, including tribal leaders, ministers, party leaders, and even state security and military leaders have defected to the opposition. The regime is now using lethal force against demonstrators in Change Square outside Sanaa University. But the violent treatment of protesters is reported everywhere. North and South Yemen may emerge truly unified after this because now both sides share one experience: removing the corrupt Saleh regime.
Bahrain:
In anticipation of a move by the restless opposition the king offered each Bahraini family $2,600, a move that backfired. The ruling family was caught by surprise with the breadth of the opposition. The opposition calls for reforming the regime and seek a constitutional monarchy. There has been a test of wills. The ruling family, which is Sunni, accuses the opposition, which, like the population, is largely Shia, of being sectarian. But the ruling family has mobilized its supporters, who are largely Sunni, to also take to the streets in support of the king. The hypocricy was not well received and demonstrators continued to come. The ruling family has called for help from its allies in the Gulf. Pinensula Shield Forces from Saudi Arabia and the UAE were deployed to protect the regime. The dialogue has not even begun.
Iraq:
Anti-government demonstrators are taking to the streets in large numbers in all governorates, except two Kurdish regions. People criticize the government for failing to provide services and jobs. People charge the government with corruption and ask "where is the oil money?" In certain instances security forces used live bullets to hold off protesters. Iraq has a freely elected government, but al-Maliki managed to break away from his Da'wa Party to form a new political block that won a substantial number of seats in the parliament. Many people charge him with diverting state funds to buy off political support.
Jordan:
Demonstrations that used to call for limited sociopolitical changes in government policy before January 14, 2011, the day of Ben Ali's departure, are now calling for reforming the regime. King Abdullah II met with opposition leaders for the first time since he came to power. He also dismissed the government and appointed a new one to conduct dialogue with the opposition. Opposition leaders refuse to participate, demanding to talk to the king or his personal appointee.
Morocco:
Following demonstrations in Rabat, King Muhammad VI announced sweeping changes in the political system to take place in three months.
Algeria:
State of Emergency has been lifted by the parliament. The ruling coalition is breaking apart, with the HIMS, the Algerian Muslim Brotherhood branch, calling the regime corrupt and demanding sweeping changes in the political system.
Oman:
Demonstrations broke out in Suhar region. Sultan Qabus responded by offering unemployment money, salary increases, 50,000 new jobs, and the establishment of a committee to study increasing the political powers of the Shura Council.
Saudi Arabia:
After severe rains that flooded the streets of Jeddah, demonstrators took to the street calling for better government services. Eastern Region's demonstrations have been suppressed by the police (the region is heavily populated by Shia Muslims). The Council of Senior Scholars issued a fatwa prohibiting demonstrations. King Abdullah has just given a speech on Friday March 18, 2011, offering the equivalent of a two-month salary payment to government employees and a two-month stipend for public university students. He also ordered $532 for every unemployed person and the establishment of a council to combat corruption. He praised the pro-government religious scholars and the security forces.
United Arab Emirates:
On March 9, 2011, a petition was signed by 133 Emirati nationals including academics, journalists and rights activists calling for direct elections. The UAE, which consists of seven emirates including Abu Dhabi and Dubai, had indirect elections in 2006 for the first time.The petition said that "changes in the region" inspired them to call for widening the margin of freedoms.
Palestinian Territories:
Immediately following the departure of Mubarak, the Palestinian Authority in Ramallah pushed for a UN Security Council resolution condemning Israeli settlement policy. Although the resolution used language that the Obama Administration had supported previously, the American representative was instructed to veto the resolution. On March 14, Palestinian youths held demonstrations in Ramallah and on March 15 various factions in Gaza held demonstrations calling for ending the split between Gaza and the West Bank. Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said he would be willing to go to Gaza to end the split, form a national unity interim government to prepare for elections.
Syria:
Facebook activism is growing but so is government monitoring of it. In one incident of a call to Day of Rage, the regime blanketed street corners in Damascus with the pictures of Bashar and Hafiz al-Assad. Some people are writing calls for change on walls. Regime operatives immediately white-wash them. Small demonstrations have taken place in Damascus; one in front of the Interior Ministry called for the release of three protesters arrested the previous day at Hamidiyah Market demonstration. Walid al-Muallim, Foreign Minister, said reform is coming from within the regime this year. But no other initiative was announced; nor did the regime try to reach out to opposition groups. Today, Friday March 18, 2011, witnessed the largest demonstrations ever. Thousands of people streamed out of mosques in different parts of the country, including Damascus, Hims, Banyas, and Dir'a. Al-Jazeera showed footage taken by protesters; participants called for political reform. At the historic Umayyad mosque security forces in plain clothes flooded the mosque in anticipation of the demonstrations (they learned about it from facebook). After the prayers, they closed the mosque to prevent demonstrators from taking to the streets. Two demonstrators were reportedly arrested.
Lebanon:
A new youth coalion of a few thousand members has taken to the street to demand an end to sectarian politics.
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