Tunisia’s militant youth, whose courage brought down President Ben Ali, has been replaced by politicians talking about both free market capitalism and the Koran.
The Amilcar Notes (Part 4): Tunisia — Profoundly Islamic
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The Amilcar Notes (Part 3): Tunisia’s Forgotten Socio-Economic Crisis
One year after Mohammed Bouazizi’s immolation — a catalyst for the Arab Spring — economic conditions in Tunisia haven’t improved much.
The New Chicken Littles
I decided to wait a couple weeks just to make sure. So far, so good. Citizens went to the polls in Tunisia, Morocco, and Egypt. A plurality of voters threw their support behind Islamist parties. I take a look outside. The sky is still intact.
Still, there is no shortage of Chicken Littles. After Islamist parties won three elections in a row, columnists and pundits in the West threw up their hands in horror.
The Amilcar Notes (Part 2): Tunisia — Emerging Democracy or Just a Facade?
While Ennahdha talks unity, in fact it seems to be engaged in a power grab which it could win the battle but lose the war — the future of Tunisia.
The Amilcar Notes (Part 1): Zine Ben Ali’s Sorry Legacy
The victory that the Ennahdha party won in Tunisia’s recent elections was, for many Tunisians, a result of a sympathy vote for the target of President Ben Ali’s most vicious repression.
Tunisia Elections: The Real Thing This Time
Six years and one national rebellion after the fraudulent 2005 election, Tunisia has just completed the first truly democratic election in its history. It was also the first election of the Arab Spring. The election was held to create a legislative body that will govern the country while it writes a new constitution.
The results were astonishing.
Winners and Losers in a New Middle East
The Middle East faces a moment of truth as country after country rises up against its authoritarian leaders. No government is secure against the people-powered protest movements sweeping the region. These dramatic events will likely be the greatest U.S. foreign policy challenge over the next decade. The regional security framework — with new roles for Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Iran, Syria, Israel, and the likely Palestinian state (or states) — is evolving, and Washington must reexamine how it defends its regional interests in a new way.
Has Tunisia’s March Towards Democracy Been Halted in Its Tracks?
The signs of increased activity by the Tunisian old guard are multiplying, confirming that while President Ben Ali has been deposed, the system he helped put in place still fights to maintain its power and privileges.
Tunisian Jews Resist Pressure From Israel to Emigrate
For the most part untroubled by anti-semitism, Tunisian Jews have little interest in emigrating to Israel.
Democracy Doesn’t Equal Instability
The political revolts in the Middle East, which have produced the overthrow of Ben Ali in Tunisia and the resignation of Hosni Mubarak in Egypt, have also generated a flawed debate about the region. In this discourse repeated ad nauseum in the mainstream press and the policy world, the United States has to balance its views on democracy promotion and stability in the Middle East.