Misrepresentations of the Revolution Have Begun

The events of Oct. 17 that triggered a leaderless civilian-uprising turned-revolution caught everyone by surprise. Let us establish one important fact: No one saw this coming. The government’s inability to extinguish the wildfires, an unfolding and growing economic crisis and widespread corruption set the stage for what transpired on Thursday, Oct. 17. However, it is certain that no one imagined what precipitating cause would push the people to the streets of Lebanon.

As expected, two weeks into the October Revolution has triggered a flood of political analyses and forecasts of the future. Some involve long-distance and armchair observations. Others include a need for simplicity and consistency, which centers on drawing broad generalizations and less than suitable comparisons to other states in the region.