Massive transitions have been and are challenging the forms of government in the Arab world, toppling regimes in Libya, Yemen, Tunisia, and Egypt. Protest movements and insurgencies in Latin America and South Asia contribute to the need for the United States to be prepared to confront regime change and manage the pursuit of our interests in turbulent times. Yet transition is not new. The past has lessons of successes, failures and limitations that remain relevant for policy formulation and the conduct of American diplomacy.