Mideast Meltdown

The world is witnessing one of the greatest upheavals in the Mideast since the creation of Israel in 1948. So many of us are thoroughly confused by what is happening.
       Is it a good thing that long-standing dictators are being challenged and overthrown?
       Who will fill the power vacuum in these countries?
       What impact will there be in Europe as people from north Africa flee to France, Italy, and other European nations?
       As volatile as the conflicts in Tunisia, Egypt, and Libya have been, I am deeply concerned about when and if protests spread in Yemen, Syria, Iran, and even in Saudi Arabia. When that happens it will make the Egypt uprising look like a minor spat.