From an historical perspective, it is pretty interesting to see what is happening in real time in the Middle East. In particular, two major issues are game-changers for the future:
1. The UN took significant action yesterday, basically telling a sovereign head of state that he's got to go.
http://www.cnn.com/2011/WORLD/africa/02/26/libya.un/index.html?hpt=T2 This will have a lasting impact on international relations and international law in the old "UN v. Nation State Sovereignty" debate. Some day, this will be used as precedent against other countries.
2. What we are seeing playing out in the Middle East is akin to the French Revolution, which subsequently prompted the fall of monarchies throughout Europe in the coming decades. Time will tell if we see another "Napolean" in that region. Certainly, our many of great, great grandchildren will find this just as boring as we sometimes did in having to learn about the French Revolution.
Maybe I'm just a closet history nerd, but I find this very interesting.