Authoritarian Middle Eastern Regimes Are Paper Tigers

Peter Harling on the frailty of “strong” Arab regimes:

Such regimes ultimately rest on fear and opportunism far more than they do on institutions or a cause. They crumble the moment the army of zealots that form their ranks realize the battle is lost. One day, they appear strong. The next, they are gone

And yet we are constantly surprised at the easiness with which capitals like Baghdad and Tripoli West (That’s how we Lebanese call Libya’s Tripoli) fall. It might seem logical but observers don’t seem to learn. Here’s one article where someone is arguing that Damascus is a “bastion of pro-regime support”.