THE JAPAN TIMES
Popular unrest has forced Tunisian President Zine el-Abidine Ben Ali to leave the country. The uprising marks the first time that an Arab leader has been forced from office by the people. Other regional leaders — and their long-suffering publics — are now asking whether a Jasmine Revolution is in their future. Decades of experience with repression means a tidal wave is unlikely, but tinder is present throughout the region.
Mr. Ben Ali ruled Tunisia for 23 years, after taking power in a bloodless coup. His government was a benevolent police state that invested in education while having no compunction about torturing the opposition. The country rejected Islamic extremism and was Western in orientation — both secular in outlook and a staunch U.S. ally in the world against terrorism — all of which made it a popular destination for tourists.
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