08-27-2014, 02:10 PM
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arab_Spring
Etymology
The term "Arab Spring" is an allusion to the Revolutions of 1848, which is sometimes referred to as the "Springtime of Nations", and the Prague Spring in 1968. In the aftermath of the Iraq War it was used by various commentators and bloggers who anticipated a major Arab movement towards democratization.[40] The first specific use of the term Arab Spring as used to denote these events may have started with the American political journal Foreign Policy.[41] Marc Lynch, referring to his article in Foreign Policy,[42] writes "Arab Spring—a term I may have unintentionally coined in a January 6, 2011 article".[43] Joseph Massad on Al Jazeera said the term was "part of a US strategy of controllingaims and goals" and directing it towards American-style liberal democracy.[41] Due to the electoral success of Islamist parties following the protests in many Arab countries, the events have also come to be known as "Islamist Spring" or "Islamist Winter".[44][45]