Middle Eastern Revolutionary Chain Reaction

Protests have been rampaging across the Middle East and in some countries in North Africa, and all this sudden wave of uprising became popular after a revolt in Tunisia that had successfully kicked out their ruler of 23 years President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali. The ouster of the Tunisian leader immediately created a domino effect which sparked revolts all across the Middle East. However, the Middle Eastern leaders have no wishes to hand down their power and be replaced so easily.

                                          

One such revolt that became popular was amongst the Egyptians, who have successfully removed Hosni Mubarak from his 30 year reign over Egypt. Mubarak cut off the internet and phone usage as well as arrest journalists. Their peaceful protests lasted for over a month, and they are still protesting and demanding the resignation of the head of their Military. Documented death toll from the Egyptian revolts starting from January 25,2011 is at least 685  protestors dead according to a count by the Front to Defend Egypt Protesters. The revolts have swept through Algeria, Bahrain, Yemen, Iraq, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Morocco, Syria and more. Unfortunately, the number of peaceful demonstrators killed is much too high, with many officers using violence to stop the protests. For example a rough estimate of the amount dead from the Syrian protests are 200 so far, and from Yemen whose leader has had a 35 year rule, security forces have killed 92 protestors  since the unrest started in February 12 2011.  

The violence used on the protestors has come from using rubber bullets, to live bullets, to using tear gas, beating with batons, and even to using aircraft missiles and tanks on protestors as Ghadaffi (who stated he will kill anyone that stands against him, and that he will fight until “the last bullet”), leader of Libya for 40 years has done, according to the Washington Post “Moammar Gadhafi’s forces fired rockets along the eastern front line and shelled the besieged city of Misrata”. But thankfully the NATO organization has stepped in, but this hasn’t stopped Ghadaffi from killing his own people. According to MSNBC “Libyan forces opened fire on mourners leaving a funeral for protesters Saturday in the flashpoint city of Benghazi. A witness said dozens were killed.” And was even mad enough to tie together and line up 130 soldiers that refused to open fire on and kill their peaceful demonstrators, and sprayed them down with bullets. However, the people are still standing strong and continuing to try to bring down this man.

And many countries in the Middle East are still struggling to bring down their corrupt governments that have been ruling for decades. We will see who will win the battle, the people or the Governments?