MixedThe Wall Street JournalDevoting separate chapters to Egypt, Syria, the Islamic State and Tunisia, Mr. Feldman argues persuasively that the Arab Spring ushered in a new era, characterized by politics from below ... Few fits between state and society are less felicitous than the brutal realities of Syria, where rival ethno-religious groups feel closer to their brethren in neighboring states than to their countrymen. Failure to give the differences between the two cases [Tunisia and Syria] their proper due leads Mr. Feldman to explain the chaos and violence in Syria as the result of the Syrian regime’s bad judgment ... Mr. Feldman’s point about \'political agency,\' the ability of individuals to shape events from the ground up, is well taken, but he overstates it. As a result, he also gives short shrift to the American role. The United States was not a puppet master, but its policies did influence events ... In this age of hyper-specialization, Noah Feldman is that rarest of things: an academic generalist. He asks big questions about matters of public importance and offers clear answers. That is highly commendable. His effort to keep the flame of democracy promotion burning is not. There comes a time to put away the idealism of youth.
