The internet was key.
I guarantee that our Intelligence community orchestrated some of the enthusiasm after the fact.
Obama did criticize the community for not spotting civil unrest, or predicting a flashpoint.
Like the financial crisis of 2007-8, the Arab Spring caught everyone by surprise, including those whose job it is to anticipate things like this. Intelligence agencies in particular are supposed to spot potential flashpoints before they erupt. Little wonder, then, that by early February 2011 President Obama was criticising the CIA and other American spy agencies for failing to predict the spreading unrest in the Middle East.
http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/dylan-evans/the-arab-spring-and-the-cia_b_1246230.htmlThe media was just doing what they do best. Sensationalizing.
I think Al Jazeera coverage was more to the point.
Here is a great opinion piece-
http://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/opinion/2012/09/2012919115344299848.htmlHowever, despite the Arab Spring coming to be- natural or not- I feel as if the west heavily influenced the idea of revolution, freedom, etc. All of which stem from Westerners ideologue. This could of had great consequences for the U.S.
In the end, the local power grab took effect. If the U.S. would of been more opportunistic, I believe the end result would of shown.