Under Siege: From Ukraine to France
The Legacy of Mohamed, and now Nahel
Tunisian fruit and vegetable vendor Mohamed Bouazizi set himself on fire on 17 December 2010 in Tunisia. He triggered the Arab Spring. On 27 June 2023, a French policeman shot an unarmed 17 year old. His name is Nahel and he is an ethnic Algerian in France. Will his murder trigger the European Spring now? Not sure but from now on, Western Europe will surely be even more under siege: From Ukraine to France.
TIME TO RECKON FOR THE WEST
A decade later, it is clear, Mohamed Bouazizi did not die in vain. No matter what the truth is wether he willingly committed suicide or not.
Some reports insist that he was set up to trigger the Arab Spring. Meanwhile, 13 years later, Nahel’s murder may instigate what was not in the plans.
From the looks of it, it may bring the struggle of the long subjugated masses home to Western Europe. It may come to be known as the European Spring as well.
As a result, the legacies of Mohamed and Nahel may go hand in hand. Together, they may join in heaven and enjoy the change they brought to Planet Earth.
Mohamed Bouazizi’s Legacy
If Mohamed’s “elimination” was an evil plan, it was partially successful. Initially, leadership changed in Tunisia, Libya, and Egypt. However, in Syria and Turkiye, regimes in power withstood the “conspiratorial assaults''.
As a result, the Arab Spring failed. Turkiye emerged from the mess stronger after a decade. In 2019, it claimed half of the eastern Mediterranean Sea. The rest of the closed sea became the economic zones for eight countries and Palestinians.
Foreign powers and countries with no border to this part of the sea lost their claim to the rich hydrocarbon reserves believed to be there. Now, Mohamed Bouazizi can rest in peace. He delivered the natural riches to the long suffering subjugated masses.
Nahel’s Legacy
Moving fast forward to June 2023, Nahel’s murder so far instigated riots in the Old Continent to no end. No one knows where it will lead. From the looks of it though, Eruope will be under siege: From Ukraine to France.
The riots on their fourth day spread across France. Four cities declared curfews from sundown to sunrise. In Belgium, protestors joined the cause. Europe, already overwhelmed with millions of refugees from Ukraine, was looking for a break.
Instead, now there will be additional international pressure on everyone from Ukraine to France in the Old Continent. Russia for example can use the Nahel card and decide not to cooperate with the grain shipments just to put more pressure on Europe.
Under Siege: From Ukraine to France
Europe was under siege long before, right after the Arab Spring began. Unfortunately, instead of relief, Europe faced blow after blow in the past decade.
In 2015, more than one million refugees walked across Europe. They came from the Middle East and North Africa. They became the ripple effect of the botched Arab Spring.
Enusing 2106 elections in the Western Europe showed the ill effect of the refugee influx. Six countries could not form governments for weeks and months at a time. Political cahos was now in Europe.
Then came Covid-19 hysteria. Economic and socio-political devastation took its toll in the West. So much so it partially gave way to the Russia-Ukraine war which ravaged Europe even more.
Nothing But Downhill
France Under Siege
In 2022, it was Ukraine that was under siege from the eastern front. In 2023, it seems like France will be under siege from the southern end.
What already started as domestic riots out of a bullet from a French policeman’s gun, may actually come in full circle.
What Mohamed’s legacy instigated in Tunisia, Africa in 2010 may come back, ending in the Dark Continent with Nahel’s legacy.
Wouldn’t that be a poetic justice for the long suffering Africans? Why would not 14 African colonies of France declare their formal independence now?
After all, the Arab Spring was supposed to create the caotic environment there in the region.
Ironically, that chaotic environment, in earnest, may now take place as the European Spring, instead.
