AoA,
Below is a NY Times link about how the president of Tunisia fled from country. The interesting line in the article was
"For the first time in the month of protests, large numbers of young women joined the crowd, almost none wearing any form of Islamic veil."
Add the following about Ghannouchi the new man who took over from Ben Ali
In a secret US cable in 2006, recently released by Wikileaks. "A technocrat and economist, Ghannouchi has served as prime minister since 1999. Is rumored to have told many he wishes to leave the government but has not had the opportunity. Length of his service as PM also suggests Ben Ali [president until resignation] does not view him as a threat and he is unlikely to be viewed as a qualified successor. However, average Tunisians generally view him with respect and he is well-liked in comparison to other GOT and RCD [ruling party] officials." Then US ambassador William Hudson said: "Given the fact Ben Ali has a dictatorial hold, it is hard to believe he'll voluntarily step down." Even so, "the mere fact an increasing number of Tunisians are talking about the end of the Ben Ali era is remarkable."
I am glad that the jerk is gone from Tunisia but the relative ease with which western powers allowed this to happen makes me think that it is a controlled implosion experiment. If it succeeds (meaning it does not produce veils and beards) in Tunisia it might be repeated in other "friendly" Arab countries.
What do you think?
AH
Nadeem
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