Saturday January 15, 2011

I've Been Thinking:

Yesterday, Tunisia went in a state of emergency.

Rioters succeeded in forcing Tunisian dictator Ben Ali to flee to Saudi Arabia, France rejected him. The dictator has been in power for 23 years, ever since 1987 when he assumed his position in a bloodless coup.

Massive anger and frustration over unemployment and a depressed economy exacerbated by the oppressive measures employed by Ben Ali had people spilling over into the streets. Tunisians were climbing the walls of the Interior Ministry - a place where so many were tortured.

Whatever happens, the situation in Tunisia will have a huge impact on the region and on the entire Middle East. Will there be elections? What force will emerge? Will that force be more of the same? Or will that force transition and create a productive positive Tunisia?

There is no way to predict the near or distant future for Tunisia.

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