Faces of the Mideast Revolutions

The president’s ineffectual statement on Friday’s massacre in Syria is the latest act in a White House drama that begin in 2009, starring a brilliant intellect who is nonetheless confounded by events. Christopher Dickey and John Barry on Obama’s flailing foreign policy—which appears headed for unmitigated disaster.

Clockwise from top left: AP Photo (3); AFP / Getty Images (3) Getty Images; Reuters / Landov

galleries/2011/04/21/faces-of-the-mideast-revolutions/mideast-revolutions_oa3ry9 — After three months of revolt and revolution, it’s amazing to remember that this all began with a fruit vendor. On December 17, 2010, following an unsuccessful attempt to lodge a complaint with the government, 26-year-old Mohamed Bouazizi set himself on fire in the small Tunisian city of Sidi Bouzid. His self-immolation set off nationwide protests the next day. They spread to Egypt weeks later. And now popular movements have engulfed the wider Middle East and North Africa in what’s come to be known as the Arab Spring. At the heart of the revolution and revolt are the raw passions of people demanding justice and freedom. Many of the people in the following images may just be ordinary citizens on any other day, but in these moments, they’re emotions are extraordinary.
Clockwise from top left: AP Photo (3); AFP / Getty Images (3) Getty Images; Reuters / Landov

galleries/2011/04/21/faces-of-the-mideast-revolutions/mideast-revolutions-1_s8y1ip — A protester runs down an alleyway behind the prime minister’s office on January 23 in Tunis, carrying a Che Guevara flag. Demonstrators traveled from the countryside to descend on the prime minister’s office, where they met with no resistance from the army.
Christopher Furlong / Getty Images

galleries/2011/04/21/faces-of-the-mideast-revolutions/mideast-revolutions-2_mt7twp — Angry protesters demand that Ben Ali’s party’s sign be removed from its headquarters.
Marco Salustro / Corbis

galleries/2011/04/21/faces-of-the-mideast-revolutions/mideast-revolutions-3_z7v6cl — Screaming crowds protest against the Constitutional Democratic Rally in Tunis on January 18, 2011.
Marco Salustro / Corbis

galleries/2011/04/21/faces-of-the-mideast-revolutions/mideast-revolutions-4_xuav7h — Demonstrators demand that Ben Ali step down immediately, despite the announcement of a new election to take place in 60 days.
Marco Salustro / Corbis

galleries/2011/04/21/faces-of-the-mideast-revolutions/mideast-revolutions-5_s8kvdm — Even the children were raging on January 23rd. Here, a young girl joins protesters outside the prime minister’s office in Tunis.
Christopher Furlong / Getty Images

galleries/2011/04/21/faces-of-the-mideast-revolutions/mideast-revolutions-6_dfu0mh — Protesters run along Avenue Bourghiba in Tunis on January 20, 2011.
Christopher Furlong / Getty Images

galleries/2011/04/21/faces-of-the-mideast-revolutions/mideast-revolutions-7_nua0rj — This mural commemorating the revolution that overthrew President Hosni Mubarak appears in the Zamalek neighborhood of Cairo.
Manoocher Deghati / AP Photo

galleries/2011/04/21/faces-of-the-mideast-revolutions/mideast-revolutions-8_lrdnpc — An anti-government protester weeps during Islamic prayers in Tahrir Square in Cairo in January.
Chris Hondros / Getty Images

galleries/2011/04/21/faces-of-the-mideast-revolutions/mideast-revolutions-9_dcrjaw — An Egyptian woman demonstrates outside the Lawyer’s Syndicate in Cairo on January 27, 2011.
Mohammed Abed / AFP / Getty Images

galleries/2011/04/21/faces-of-the-mideast-revolutions/mideast-revolutions-10_h7l4zn — Egyptians in Tahrir Square pray for victims killed during protests.
Miguel Medina / AFP / Getty Images

galleries/2011/04/21/faces-of-the-mideast-revolutions/mideast-revolutions-11_hswnx6 — An anti-government protester is overcome with emotion after hearing that President Hosni Mubarak resigned February 11, 2011.
John Moore / Getty Images

galleries/2011/04/21/faces-of-the-mideast-revolutions/mideast-revolutions-12_pgtwms — Protesters in Tahrir Square celebrate on January 30, 2011, after hearing a false rumor that President Mubarak had left the country.
Peter Macdiarmid / Getty Images

galleries/2011/04/21/faces-of-the-mideast-revolutions/mideast-revolutions-13_qtrbkp — A relative of Abdulrassul Hujairi mourns at his funeral in the village of Buri in Bahrain on March 21, 2011, two days after the Shiite man went missing. He disappeared during protests, and the people who found his body said it bore signs of torture.
Joseph Eid / AFP / Getty Images

galleries/2011/04/21/faces-of-the-mideast-revolutions/mideast-revolutions-bahrain_zdbgc9 — An anti-government protester shouts at the burial of Ahmed Abdullah Ahsan on March 19, 2011. Ahsan was killed when military forces cleared the Pearl Roundabout in Bahrain.
James Lawler Duggan / Reuters / Landov

galleries/2011/04/21/faces-of-the-mideast-revolutions/mideast-revolutions-bahain-2_h4bull — Shiite anti-government protesters chant in Manama, Bahrain, on February 18, 2011.
Hassan Ammar / AP Photo

galleries/2011/04/21/faces-of-the-mideast-revolutions/mideast-revolutions-15_mprbuo — Bahrainis yell during the funeral of Ahmed Farhan, a 29 year old who was killed in Sitra, on March 18, 2011. He was killed hours after the king declared martial law in response to escalating protests.
Sergey Ponomarev / AP Photo

galleries/2011/04/21/faces-of-the-mideast-revolutions/mideast-revolutions-16_x2ipgc — A man prays for injured demonstrators after riot police stormed an anti-government protest camp in Manama and fought protesters in the street, killing four people.
Hamad Mohammed / Reuters / Landov

galleries/2011/04/21/faces-of-the-mideast-revolutions/mideast-revolutions-17_hp2q2j — Anti-government protesters celebrate retaking the Pearl Roundabout in Manama on February 19, 2011.
Caren Firouz / Retuers / Landov

galleries/2011/04/21/faces-of-the-mideast-revolutions/mideast-revolutions-18_dcviev — Hordes of anti-government Yemenis demonstrate in Sana'a on March 11, 2011.
Ahmad Gharabli / AFP / Getty Images

galleries/2011/04/21/faces-of-the-mideast-revolutions/mideast-revolutions-19_fqtagp — A supporter of Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh participates in a rally in Sana'a on March 3, 2011.
Ahmad Gharabli / AFP / Getty Images

galleries/2011/04/21/faces-of-the-mideast-revolutions/mideast-revolutions-20_qejmbi — An anti-government protesters shouts during a demonstration in Sana'a on March 26.
Ahmad Gharabli / AFP / Getty Images

galleries/2011/04/21/faces-of-the-mideast-revolutions/mideast-revolutions-21_rpqmhk — A little boy joins a demonstration against Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh on March 26, 2011.
Jewel Samad / AFP / Getty Images

galleries/2011/04/21/faces-of-the-mideast-revolutions/mideast-revolutions-22_kg1zvt — A mob of Yemeni protesters demand the resignation of President Saleh in Sana'a on April 2, 2011.
Ahmad Gharabli / AFP / Getty Images

galleries/2011/04/21/faces-of-the-mideast-revolutions/mideast-revolutions-23_qbg7qw — A Yemeni soldier who defected to the opposition joins an anti-government demonstration on March 31, 2011.
Ahmad Gharabli / AFP / Getty Images

galleries/2011/04/21/faces-of-the-mideast-revolutions/mideast-revolutions-24_rm2dcf — Yemenis protest against the regime in Sana'a on March 6, 2011, a day after the president dismissed opposition calls for his resignation.
Ahmad Gharabli / AFP / Getty Images

galleries/2011/04/21/faces-of-the-mideast-revolutions/mideast-revolutions-25_asba9g — A little girl in Sana'a, Yemen, shows off her hands, which say “leave you butcher” in Arabic.
Ahmad Gharabli / AFP / Getty Images

galleries/2011/04/21/faces-of-the-mideast-revolutions/mideast-revolutions-26_jjts7v — A Libyan woman protests against Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi in Benghazi on February 25, 2011. The placard in the background in Arabic reads “The people want the leader to step down.”
Hussein Malla / AP Photo

galleries/2011/04/21/faces-of-the-mideast-revolutions/mideast-revolutions-27_ew8dts — Protesters demonstrate outside a hotel during a meeting between African heads of state and Libyan rebel leaders in Benghazi on April 11, 2011. Rebels reject any mediation if it does not include the removal of Gaddafi.
Marwan Naamani / AFP / Getty Images

galleries/2011/04/21/faces-of-the-mideast-revolutions/mideast-revolutions-28_fybijd — Anti-Gaddafi demonstrators mobilize in Benghazi on March 4, 2011.
Hussein Malla / AP Photo

galleries/2011/04/21/faces-of-the-mideast-revolutions/mideast-revolutions-29_ublmxn — One of many children swept up in the protests, this little anti-Gaddafi protester's face is painted in the colors of the old Libyan flag during a protest in Benghazi on March 1, 2011.
Hussein Malla / AP Photo

galleries/2011/04/21/faces-of-the-mideast-revolutions/mideast-revolutions-30_xdxtuh — Anti-Gaddafi protesters demand change in Benghazi.
Nichole Sobecki / Corbis

galleries/2011/04/21/faces-of-the-mideast-revolutions/mideast-revolutions-31_ea6zqi — Anti-government protesters flash victory signs while they protest in the city of Dara'a, Syria on March 23.
Hussein Malla / AP Photo

galleries/2011/04/21/faces-of-the-mideast-revolutions/mideast-revolutions-33_qxmfz3 — A demonstration in the Syrian city of Homs on April 18, 2011.
Reuters / Landov

galleries/2011/04/21/faces-of-the-mideast-revolutions/mideast-revolutions-32_f4xcg8 — Anti-government protesters flood the streets of Damascus on March 25, 2011.
Muzaffar Salman / AP Photo

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