MixedThe Washington PostThe Arab Winter is not a history. Rather, it is an argument, in the best sense of that word, couched in political philosophy. To get the most out of the argument (for who doesn’t want to argue back?) the reader should be somewhat familiar with the Middle East ... it’s not for the uninitiated ... personalities loom large ... Feldman’s focus on agency leads him at times to understate factors beyond the control of the crowds and the leaders they opposed ... Feldman’s book also ignores how Iran’s military backing of the Syrian regime, and Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates’ support for the coup in Egypt, helped tip the precarious balance of forces and, conversely, how the lack of outsider meddling in Tunisia gave leaders there more freedom ... Can democracy flourish in the Arab world? The Arab Spring’s collapse is upsetting for those of us who would argue yes. However, in the end, I found myself convinced, and even slightly comforted, by Feldman’s claim that \'continued dictatorship is the most probable result; yet the struggle to do better still carries profound meaning.\'
