Arab Spring Uprisings Lose Momentum as ‘Status Quo’ Fights Back
This article is for subscribers only.
Bombs and tear gas are threatening to smother the “Arab Spring” that toppled the leaders of Egypt and Tunisia and promised to spread democracy in the Middle East.
Already fighting two wars in Muslim countries, the U.S. and Europe were reluctant to engage in a third, enabling Muammar Qaddafi to turn the tide against Libyan rebels. In Bahrain, security forces today used tear gas to drive protesters from their main rallying point in the capital Manama, two days after Saudi Arabia sent troops to bolster the ruling family.