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ASLI AYDINTASBAS, Special To The Washington Post

Seven years ago, a Tunisian street vendor set himself on fire in defence of his dignity, unknowingly triggering an avalanche of public demonstrations across the Middle East. People in the region wanted what was denied to them for almost a century — a fair order, better lives and a little breathing space.

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Seven years down the road, what the people got in return is upgraded despotism and chaos.

Cab gossip is not an entirely infallible guide to world affairs. But a few weeks ago in Istanbul, a chatty driver said: “They say there will be a war. That’s what everyone who gets in the cab is talking about.”

The speculation about a “regional war” is becoming widespread, and to a large extent, that has to do with the death of an idea. Call it progress or democracy, but people in the region have no more reason to believe in a linear progression of history — that in time, all nations will become freer, more prosperous and more democratic.