Since Tunisians began protesting their government in December, several other Middle Eastern countries have had protests of their own for rights that the people have been oppressed from for years.

Morocco, Algeria, Jordan, Yemen, Libya, Syria, Egypt, Bahrain, Iran, Saudi Arabia and Tunisia are the main countries that have begun protests to win freedom for their people. In countries like Egypt it was an effort to overthrow a dictator and in other cases just to distribute power more equally.

The true question right now is what happens next, said Dr. David Cunningham, political science professor. Cunningham said this question is unanswerable.

“We don’t know. We don’t even know what’s going to happen in Egypt, let alone the other countries, and their president is gone,” Cunningham said.

Although Egypt was successful in getting their former-President Mubarak to step down, the country’s future remains undetermined.

This situation is the case in each of the other nations as well.

“Removing a disliked power from the government is different than putting in a democratic government,” Cunningham said.

These conflicts may seem disheartening to Americans, due to the death tolls and the lack of freedom, but Americans also forget what these issues mean for them.

“It is extremly unclear who is going to come to power, [and] if it’s even democratic, and what that means for the United States,” Cunningham said.

Steffen Schmidt, professor of political science published an article, “Revolution in North Africa and the Middle East” in the Iowa Insider which provided more understanding to the issues of the Middle East.

“[The leaders of these countries] lived high on the hog while average citizens stagnate without enjoying rising standards of living,” Schmidt said in his article. “In this area of the world even people with university degrees drive taxis or eke out a living because these countries have not encouraged and enabled real economic growth and opportunity.”

 

In his article, Schmidt also pointed out that another reason for the uprises is the suppression of personal freedom, expression and dignity for the people in each of these countries.

Throughout these uprisings in the Middle East, the United Nations and the United States have tried to keep a safe distance while still offering support during these times, in order to preserve peace and safety in the U.S. and the rest of the world.

With the region engulfed in political movements, all eyes remain on the Middle East as the people work toward gaining more rights and freedom.