The times, they are a changin'. Charles Krauthammer writes in Time magazine (March 07, 2005):

…History has begun to speak. Elections in Afghanistan, a historic first. Elections in Iraq, a historic first. Free Palestinian elections producing a moderate leadership, two historic firsts. Municipal elections in Saudi Arabia, men only, but still a first. In Egypt, demonstrations for democracy ― unheard of in decades ― prompting the dictator to announce free contested presidential elections, a historic first.

And now, of course, the most romantic flowering of the spirit America went into the region to foster: the Cedar Revolution in Lebanon, in which unarmed civilians, Christian and Muslim alike, brought down the puppet government installed by Syria…

"It is strange for me to say it, but this process of change has started because of the American invasion of Iraq," Lebanese Druze leader Walid Jumblatt explained to David Ignatius of the Washington Post. "I was cynical about Iraq. But when I saw the Iraqi people voting three weeks ago, 8 million of them, it was the start of a new Arab world. The Syrian people, the Egyptian people, all say that something is changing. The Berlin Wall has fallen. We can see it."

Mideast Reforms: Country-by-Country

Bahrain - Voted in 2001 to become a constitutional monarchy with elected parliament and independent judiciary.

Egypt - President Hosni Mubarak, unopposed in power since 1981, surprised the West in February by announcing multi-candidate presidential elections for September.

Iraq - Bush and his allies believe democracy is finally flowering in Iraq. Eight million voted to elect government in January. A constitution enshrining personal, political and religious freedoms is to be drawn up by October. But a bloody insurgency continues to mar progress.

Kuwait - Kuwait's parliament has agreed to speed up moves toward a law to grant women the same political rights as men. The decision came amid noisy street rallies by women activists. But political parties remain outlawed.

Lebanon - Assassination of former prime minister Rafik Hariri acted as a catalyst for mass public protests demanding the end of Syrian occupation. Syria withdraws forces to the eastern Bekaa Valley. Free elections may take place in May.

Libya - Colonel Muammar Gaddafi's decision to take responsibility for the Lockerbie bombings and renounce WMD brought it back into the fold. However it remains a dictatorship.

Morocco - The lure of freedom and democracy is now being felt in North Africa, as tens of thousands of Moroccans demonstrate against Algeria.

Palestinian Authority - The post-Arafat era has begun. Palestinians voted for a new president in January's free elections and a parliamentary poll is set for July. New leader Mahmoud Abbas is raising hopes of peace but it is still unclear whether he will be able to exert control over militant groups and negotiate a territorial deal with Israel.

Qatar - Greater political openness since current head of state came to power in 1995. Democratic elections were held in 1999.

Saudi Arabia - The Saudi royal family views serious reform as a risk not worth taking, although elections for local councils were recently held for the first time (but women were barred from voting).

Syria - Slight movement: More than 140 Syrian intellectuals have signed a public statement defying their government by opposing its occupation of Lebanon. President Bashar Assad, however, holds tight reigns and refuses to relinquish his trump cards ― support for Hizbollah and Palestinian terrorists.

Yemen - A nascent democracy with the most open political system in the Arabian Peninsula, Yemen's government has shown a general commitment to developing the instruments of a modern state and has cooperated with international efforts to uproot the al-Qaida network. Presidential elections planned for this year.