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    Back to To the Point

    To the Point

    Does the "Arab Spring" Have a Future After All?

    Five years later, the "Arab Spring" is more often called the "Arab Uprising." Instead of producing new democracies, rebellions have led to renewed repression in some places and chaos in others. Nevertheless, it may be too soon to declare "failure."

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    By Warren Olney • May 30, 2016 • 52m Listen

    Five years later, the "Arab Spring" is more often called the "Arab Uprising." Instead of producing new democracies, rebellions have led to renewed repression in some places and chaos in others. Nevertheless, it may be too soon to declare "failure."

    Later on the proram, as Americans reflect on the casualties in Iraq and Afghanistan, we talk with a former State Department official who spent seven consecutive years in the war zones—and carries the blame for deaths of 31 service members.

    Photo: Ramy Raoof

    In this episode

    3 stories
    1. 1:53

      Poll Shows Strong Support for Trump among Military Members

      With the 2016 presidential campaigns heating up, pollsters are looking to the general election, but one voter constituency that doesn't get much attention is military service members. So, how is the campaign rhetoric playing with troops? The Military Times recently conducted a survey to find out.

      Read the story
      7 min
    2. 8:50

      Does the "Arab Spring" Have a Future After All?

      It's been five years since popular uprisings toppled dictators in Egypt and other Arab countries. Except in Tunisia, Democracy has not taken hold. Egypt's new military regime may be worse than the old one; Libya is in chaos; millions of Syrians are fleeing civil war.

      Read the story
      31 min
    3. 40:30

      State Department Hero Reflects on the 'Mirror Test'

      For seven consecutive years, J. Kael Weston served in the combat zones of Iraq and Afghanistan -- not as a soldier, but as a civilian — a State Department Advisor. He received the Secretary of State’s Medal for Heroism. Now he’s written a searing account about his experience called The Mirror Test: America at War in Iraq and Afghanistan .

      Read the story
      12 min
    • https://images.ctfassets.net/2658fe8gbo8o/AvYox6VuEgcxpd20Xo9d3/769bca4fbf97bf022190f4813812c1e2/new-default.jpg?h=250

      Warren Olney

      former KCRW broadcaster

    • KCRW placeholder

      Barbara Bogaev

      radio journalist

    • https://images.ctfassets.net/2658fe8gbo8o/AvYox6VuEgcxpd20Xo9d3/769bca4fbf97bf022190f4813812c1e2/new-default.jpg?h=250

      Evan George

      Director of Content, News

      NewsNationalPolitics

    In this episode

    3 stories
    1. 1:537 min

      Poll Shows Strong Support for Trump among Military Members

    2. 8:5031 min

      Does the "Arab Spring" Have a Future After All?

    3. 40:3012 min

      State Department Hero Reflects on the 'Mirror Test'

    Back to To the Point