Why is it that in the Arab Spring...?

[Kneel Before Cougar!]

Certain countries were affected by it very strongly, while others only got so much as a slap on the wrist by it?

Countries that have been hit hard by it: Algeria, Libya, Yemen, Tunisia, Sudan, Egypt, Iraq, Syria, Bahrain, and Lebanon

Countries that just got away with a slap on the wrist: UAE, Oman, Jordan, Morocco, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait

[immenseflower679]

Selective interference by the US

[Holly]

Countries that got away with it weren't into it.

[mommanuke]

A couple of different reasons. First, Tunisia was where it all started. A man who couldn't feed his family set himself on fire in a public square. That story got picked up and tweeted and IM'd to many places in the ME. The people took it from there. It never got a footing in Algeria, Sudan, Syria, Bahrain or any of the countries on your second list because of the governments having stronger militaries than Egypt did. And it only worked in Libya because of NATO intervention. In Iraq, there is too much sectarian strife going on for anything to take hold. They are too busy killing each other because of their religious beliefs. Lebanon didn't have a revolt because it is a decent government that the people like. Syria of course has its own problems.

But in the places where it succeeded, you can give the lion's share of the credit to the social media.

[Sean]

Pro-Arab, and not pro-Arab is the differences. I believe everything starting with 9/11 was in support of Saudi Arabia; Saudis attack the US as a false flag so that the US will take out Saddam for his threat against Kuwait and Saudi Arabia. Gaddafi, Mubarak, and Assad weren't pro-Arab. Tunisian Ben Ali like Egypt's Morsi were pro-Arab, and both were overthrow by the people for their tyranny.
Saudi Arabia fears Iran....

There is also a lot going on in central Africa in relation to pro-Arab interests that isn't covered very closely by the media.

[Bada Bing]

Different political climates existing in different countries..