12 Coups Flashcards
What happened on June 30, 2012 in Egypt?
The first democratically-elected leader in its 5,000 year history took office
Mohamed Morsi
What happened one year later?
He was overthrown by the army.
Army leader = Abdel Fattah al-Sisi
an Islamist
What happened on eyear after that?
al-Sisi was elected President
How did western countries respond?
Vaguely.
Calling it a coup would have triggered responsibilities
WHen and where did the Arab Spring start?
Tunisia in 2010
Between 1949 and 1970, how many successful coups were there in ME/NA?
At least 20.
What is a coup?
A sudden, illegal taking of power, many times by armies.
Was the removal of King Farouk a coup?
Yes. He was the legitimate ruler.
In 1969, where was there another coup?
Libya. Gadaffi and army overthrew Libya’s first and only monarch.
How long did Gadaffi reign
42 years until he was overthrown in 2012/
What happened in Iran in 1953?
A coup removed elected Prime Minister Mohammad Mosaddegh
As it turned out, who had planned this?
The CIA and MI6
How many coups were there in Syria in 1949?
3
There were 9 between 1949 and 1970
Why so many coups across ME/NA?
If a country has a successful coup, they are more likely to have another one.
Which was the most important coup in Syria?
The 1963 coup by the Ba’ath party. They are still in power.
Who siezed power in Syria in 1970?
Hafez al-Assad (r. 1970-2000)
Who followed him?
His son Bashar al-Assad, who still rules today.
He was an opthamologist.
What religion is the al-Assad family?
Shia Muslim
What happened the same year the Hafez al-Assad became President?
In Oman, Qaboos bin Said (r. 1971-2020) overthrew his father to become Sultan.
What had the economy of Oman depended on?
Slaves, until the British shut it down.
THe British found the son more acceptable.
What else did many of these coups have in common?
They started when former allies began to disagree.
What happend in Saudi Arabia in July 1969?
There was an attempted coup by the military against the monarch King Faisal.
Who was King Faisal?
The son of ibn Saud, a Saudi Arabia founder.
They are still in power today.
What is the one thing none of these coups has delivered?
Democracy
