Arab Democracy in 2011

In 1981 the withdrawal of Russian support led to dictators being deposed across Eastern Europe.  In 2011 dictators were deposed or challenged across the Arab world, perhaps thanks to social media and satellite TV channels enabling communication despite their government's censorship.

Dictators deposed in 2011

Ben Ali 23 years in Tunisia deposed Jan 14^th
Hosni Mubarek 30 years in Egypt deposed Feb 11^th

Dictatorships still to go as of that year

Ali Abdullah Saleh 32 years in Yemen
Muammar Gaddafi 42 years in Libya
Baath Party 41 years in Syria
Abdelaziz Bouteflika 12 years in Algeria

Plus these “Democracies” in which the Monarch has vast powers:

• Morocco
• Jordan
• Kuwait.

There are also the following absolute monarchies:

• Al Khalifa family in Bahrain
• Al Saud family in Saudi Arabia
• Al Thani family in Qatar
• Qaboos bin Said Al Said family in Oman
• Seven absolute monarchies in United Arab Emirates.

And these democracies which are under foreign occupation:

• Palestinian territories (occupied by Israel)
• Iraq (occupied by US).

And these partial democracies :

• Lebanon (constitution sets limits to avoid sectarianism)
• Ismail Guelleh in Djibouti (scrapped 2 term limit so could stand again).

And these failed states:

• Somalia
• Sudan (South and North separating).

These two Arab countries are regarded as democracies:

• Comoros
• Mauritania (though opposition claim electoral fraud by general who led coup and then won subsequent election).

Even allowing for Western bias it seems there is much further fro the arab world to go.