Such ventures have too often begun with good intentions and naive overconfidence , as oil-rich despots see their armour crumple and burn beneath superior western technology .
Egypt and tunisia saw their despots fall victim to mass uprisings , and the people of libya , syria , yemen and algeria are now taking to the streets in an attempt to remove their own authoritarian regimes .
The two most prominent pan-arab papers published in london , al-sharq al-awsat and al-hayat , are owned by members of the saudi royal family . Yet even their pages have run editorials rejoicing in the disposing of despots and dreams of democracy .
Their descendants honed these " martial arts " and over the next 14 centuries used them in countless battles-opposing despots , putting down rebellions , and fending off invaders .