Photo Gallery What Next for the Arab Spring?
One-and-a-half years after the start of the Arab Spring, Islamists have taken power in some countries, Gulf rulers are suppressing dissent with cash and Syria is descending into civil war. Here, a Tunisian journalist protests against aggression committed against television journalists in the country (April 2012 photo).
Since his election win, Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi (seen here being sworn in on June 30) has attracted attention with the sort of moderate rhetoric that hardly anyone had expected from him. Last week, Morsi said that he intended to abide by all international treaties, including Egypt's peace treaty with Israel, and that he planned to appoint a woman or a Christian to be his deputy.
The Arab revolutions are at a turning point, but the horrors unleashed by Damascus could inspire moderation elsewhere. Here, the aftermath of a bombing at the Justice Palace in Damascus on June 28.
In the end, the suffering of the Syrian people and the foreseeable downfall of Bashar Assad could promote moderate change elsewhere -- because both sides now know what is at stake.
