Member states of the Arab League

Lebanon, like many of Syria’s neighbors, is groaning under the weight of refugees as that country’s civil war continues with no end in sight. In Lebanon, officials recently imposed a curfew on foreign laborers in an effort to restrict Syrian refugees.

Hundreds of thousands of Syrians have fled their war-torn country in hopes of safety in neighboring countries. But for Syrians of Palestinian descent, they find they’re not as welcome in neighboring Jordan as native Syrians.

This December marks the two-year anniversary of the Arab Spring. And though it feels like the revolutions were ages ago, the revolution might not be over. Just look to Syria, and Egypt and even Tunisia.

While most of American attention in recent days has been focused on Libya, where four American diplomats died, the bigger trouble may be brewing in Egypt. People are protesting there too, and while no one is getting killed, the long-term effect of the chill on Egyptian-American relations may be startling.

Jordan’s born a large portion of the strain of refugees fleeing violence-torn Syria. As the fighting continues in its 14th month and beyond, the United Nations is trying to raise money to help pay the costs of caring for the refugees, but little funding has been forthcoming.