A Very Interesting Take...

...on the Arab Spring and the difference between Libya and Egypt:

6 Reasons Why Islamists Lost, Liberals Prevailed in Libya Vote


I especially like numbers 2:

"It is likely that the behavior and performance of Islamists in post-revolution Egypt – which have been viewed by many as disgraceful and a prime reason for their ultimate drop in popularity – has made many Libyans think twice whether to vote in support of Islamic parties.

Social media, the Internet in general, and satellite TV helped spread the negative image of Egyptian Islamists to several Arab countries, including Libya."

and 6:

"It was U.S.-led multi-national forces – not Islamic organizations – that helped the Libyan people remove Gadhafi and end their humiliating suffering. Gadhafi soldiers were known to rape Libyan women in front of their husbands. The notion that mostly Western countries, not their Islamic counterparts, came to the aid of Libyans, could have been another factor in the meager showing of Islamists in the Libyan vote."

Only time will tell. But the power of new media cannot be underestimated. Throughout history, inventions and advances in science have always spurred social movements that have changed the course of events, sometimes very drastically. Consider the impact of the introduction of paper to the West or the invention of the printing press along with paper. New media is of the same order of magnitude.

And speaking as an old fart, I remember the role played by ham radio in communications with people trapped behind the Iron Curtain. Same thing.

Now you know why I'm Pollyannish.