Its the Liberal Revoltion of 1820-1826 All Over Again: Yemen Joins Egypt and Tunisia in Pro-Democratic Rioting

Well I'm not a big fan of rioting but this might be seen as quite a good deal going forward.

Tens of thousands of Yemenis demanded the president step down in nationwide protests Thursday, taking inspiration from the popular revolt in Tunisia and vowing to continue until their U.S.-backed government falls.

Yemen is the latest Arab state to be hit by mass anti-government protests, joining Tunisia and Egypt in calls for revolutionary change. The demonstrations pose a new threat to the stability of Yemen, the Arab world's most impoverished nation, which has become a haven for al-Qaida militants.

Yemen would be especially good to add to the pro-democracy column because of this tie to Al-Quida. Imagine if they could get an elected leader in power and invite the US or Europe in to help them with their economy/kill off Al-Quida militants. A democratic Yemen would be great not just for the Yemeni people but the whole world as well.

In many ways seeing these Muslim countries try to form democracies by rioting reminds me of the Liberal Revolution of 1820 - 1826. This is when there were riots in Portugal to reinstate the King Joao and make their government a Constitutional Monarchy. These ideas spread throughout Europe and were put down with force by more conservative governments.

In one of my favorite video games Victoria: a Place in the Sun when this event happens Liberal Revolutionaries appear in nearly all European Cities. You can stop them from appearing by either putting troops on all of your lands to kill off any revolutionaries or change your government to a Constitutional Monarchy or a Republic. I usually play as one of the German Minor states so when the governments of my neighbors fall I quickly get in there and Annex them.

In any case these pro-democracy riots are kind of following in the footsteps of that event just few hundred years later. I'm hoping that the next revolution happens in Iran. Now that would be big news and would give Obama another shot at backing the protesters now that his meeting with Ahmadinajoke "without preconditions" is yet another failed campaign promise.