The Middle East: Is it 1979 or 1989?

With all the demonstrations going on across the Middle East, its hard not to be enthused with a sense of romanticism at the yearning for freedom and the end of dictatorship.

But, it is not yet certain as to what the outcomes of these revolutions will be. Are we repeating 1989 in which communist regimes were overthrown - to be replaced by democracy? Or, have we gone back to 1979, when the corrupt Shah of Iran was replaced by Islamist Fundamentalists?

Although the army have taken over on Egypt, the Muslim Brotherhood are waiting and watching. Yet, in Iran, as today's pictures show, thousands of people are desperate to rid themselves of the Ayatollahs. Whether the protests moves to Libya et al remain to be seen.

We will know what kind of revolutions these are going to be once we see what emerges from the overthrowal. Will elections follow? Will voting be accompanied by a rule of law, property rights, equality towards women and religious tolerance? If not, we know - sadly - what to expect.
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