The unprecedented torrents of revolt sweeping in the Arab world have led many observers to make comparisons with the demise of the Iron Curtain in 1989 or the Iranian revolution in 1979. Both assessments in many ways are misleading-at best they are simply fictitious.

 In the fall of the Iron Curtain nations abandoned ‘godless socialism' and embraced free market capitalism. Eastern European countries shifted from Russia's sphere of influence to American colonization. The super power struggle between Soviets and the Americans ended with Russia's defeat and the ascendency of the lone super power America. 

In contrast, the domino effect that is toppling autocratic leaders across the North Africa has not ended free market capitalism, nor has it ousted the world's lone super power. Tunisia and Egypt remain staunchly secular, its solutions are capitalistic in nature and both are firmly in the grip of Britain and America. Furthermore, the geopolitical struggle is confined between Europe and America over who controls the hydrocarbons and other riches of the Arab world. If change does materialize, then this will merely be the elimination of European hegemony-especially British control- over countries like Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya, Yemen and the Gulf countries. Additionally, the face of the ruling system and apparatus will undergo some modifications to make America's rule more palatable to the people and stymie further uprisings.

Equating the Arab revolution with the Iranian one is equally flawed. The fall of the Shah and the arrival of Khomeini only switched the rule in Iran from British hands to America hands. Capitalism still flourishes and is peppered with Islamic dressing which to most observers is misconstrued as a form of theocracy. The fact of the matter is that Iran is a secular regime with some facets of democracy and staunchly operates within ambit of American rules. Again, the present uprising in Iran is not seeking an end to capitalism, American hegemony or for that matter an end to Western patronage. This is the only similarity between the present rebellions in the Arab world and the Iranian revolution.

If valuable lessons have to be learnt then it is quite evident that almost all revolutions in societies that covet change -irrespective of ideological orientations-require domestic partners that can tangibly deliver change and ensure genuine independence from Western interference. These partners are the powerful armies of the Arab and Muslim countries. General Rachid Ammar of Tunisia and General Chief of Staff Lieutenant General Sami Hafiz could have easily catapulted the revolutions towards real and meaningful change. Instead, they betrayed the pure feelings of their people and chose to stand by their Western masters Britain and America. Therefore in both cases the regimes that were responsible for years of despotism, aggression and kufr are still in place awaiting further instructions from the West. Allah says in Surah Al Rad: " Verily, Allah does not change the condition of a people until they change what is within themselves."

The ummah must realize that their appalling situation is destined to change but they must put pressure on the armies who are part of the ummah to join them in this quest to liberate the ummah from the yoke of Western colonialism an return to the rule of  Islam.

Abed Mustafa