US Arab Spring response co-opted opposition or backed counterrevolution to limit change

Evidence

In 2011, a wave of mass struggle burst onto the historic stage. In a matter of weeks, grassroots movements in Tunisia and Egypt swept from power two pro-Western dictators who had ruled with an iron fist for decades. Democracy and political freedom were key demands in what was called the “Arab Spring” of 2011. International relations scholar Gilbert Achcar argues that Washington’s response, when it became clear that its old (Egypt, Bahrain, Yemen) and new (Libya) allies could be swept aside, oscillated between co-opting sections of the opposition (as in Egypt, Yemen, Libya, Syria) as a way to limit the scope of change, and supporting the forces of counterrevolution (Bahrain, Egypt after 2013). — Deepa Kumar, Islamophobia and the Politics of Empire, 381

Categorization

• XREF: connects to: Obama rhetorically embraced the Arab Spring while funding its counterrevolutionaries — Deepa Kumar, Islamophobia and the Politics of…, 506; The US backed counterrevolution during the Arab Spring while professing support — Deepa Kumar, Islamophobia and the Politics of…, 506; US policy backed dictators and counterrevolution against the Arab Spring — Deepa Kumar, Islamophobia and the Politics of Empire, 580 (+5 more)

Broader Connections

• Obama backed Arab Spring rhetorically while funding the Egyptian military’s counterrevolution. #expands (0.95)
• US policy backed dictators and counterrevolution against the Arab Spring #corroborates (0.90) — Deepa Kumar, Islamophobia and the Politics of Empire, 580
• US Arab Spring policy oscillated between co-opting and counterrevolution, never democracy #expands (0.85)
• The US responded to 2011 uprisings by backing counterrevolution #corroborates (0.85) — Deepa Kumar, Islamophobia and the Politics of Empire, 210