Moreover, compared to Eastern Europe in 1989, the Middle East in 2011 lacks any stabilizing external structures, such as NATO and the European Union, that could influence domestic reforms by holding out the prospect of membership. The efforts involved in this great transformation must come from within these societies, and this in all likelihood is asking too much.
此外，相对于1989年的东欧剧变，2011年的中东革命缺乏任何像北约和欧盟这样的外部稳定性架构，而这些组织可以用获取成员国资格的前景来影响地方改革。虽然这场大转型中所包含的力量必须来自于这些社会的内部，而要求这些社会仅凭自身力量去实现这一点显然要求过高了。