Tunisia, Lebanon, etc.
The people who claimed that the Wikileaks releases didn't amount to much chose to ignore the middle east.
FLC and...
AA

AlJazeera versus Al-Arabiyyah TV
An experienced and knowledgeable Western correspondent in the Middle East (who is fluent in Arabic), sent me this: "The comparison between Al-Jazeera and Al-Arabiya now that bin Ali has gone is interesting: alJazeera frames the issue now as about removing all vestiges of the former regime, al-Arabiya wants to preserve it. Najwa al-Qassem harangued rights activist Radia al-Nasraoui saying how can you get rid of a whole generation of ruling class?? Radia responded: "it's as if you're saying our fate is to be ruled by these people.""
Posted by As'ad at 8:43 AM Email ThisBlogThis!Share to TwitterShare to FacebookShare to Google Buzz

Bin Ali and Israel: from the Clinton years
"Earlier today in a separate meeting with Foreign Minister Ben Yahia, I expressed our appreciation for the tireless efforts of President Ben Ali of Tunisia in advancing the peace process. Now by establishing these new ties with Israel, Tunisia has once again demonstrated its commitment to the peace process. The foreign minister and I also discussed threats against Tunisia. I told him that the United States would take such threats very seriously, and that we are committed to a stable and secure Tunisia." (thanks Mick)
Posted by As'ad at 8:42 AM Email ThisBlogThis!Share to TwitterShare to FacebookShare to Google Buzz

France and Tunisia
After insulting the Tunisian people by offering security equipment to Bin Ali when the movement first started, today France discovered that it has embarrassed itself. It now talks about respecting the Tunisian people. Too little too late. This is like...Obama when he expressed respect for the Tunisian people minutes after the plane of Bin Ali had left the country.
Posted by As'ad at 8:39 AM Email ThisBlogThis!Share to TwitterShare to FacebookShare to Google Buzz

Arab nationalism is NOT dead (tell that to Fouad Ajami)
Ever since Ajami wrote that lousy article on the death of Arab nationalism, lazy Western analysts and journalists readily believed him. I have often argued otherwise. If you have been following in Arabic the news coverage and particularly the noise of the Arab youth on Facebook and Twitter you would not have doubted that common Arab political and emotional sentiments are still shared by the Arab people. Most Arabs on Facebook have put the Tunisian flag or the picture of Muhammad Bouazizi as the profile picture.
Posted by As'ad at 8:37 AM Email ThisBlogThis!Share to TwitterShare to FacebookShare to Google Buzz

On Tunisian Revolution vesus Iranian
Some have sent me asking for reasons for my enthusiasm for the Tunisian Revolution and not for the so-called Green (Early Khumayni) Revolution. Silly ones have suggested reasons having to do with the Arab identity of Tunisians. 1) The last notion is silly. I have been most critical of the Lebanese Cedar Revolution and wrote more against it than about any lousy Revolution, and the Lebanese are Arabs. 2) I judge a revolution by its sponsors: the sponsors of the Lebanese and Green Revolution are US, France, Israel, and Saudi Arabia. 3) I judge the movement by its leaders: Hariri and Musavi and Rafsanjani don't inspire my enthusiasm. The Tunisian Communist Workers Party does. 4) There is no sectarian or religious slogans in the Tunisian movement, while there is plenty in the Green and Cedar revolutions. 5) I like revolutions that concerns Israel and not those that please Israel. 6) I never denied that there are sincere people and youths in the camp of the Green Revolution but that it is led by lousy individuals who raised lousy slogans: (Mousavi and Rafsanjani wanted to go to the early Khumayni "purity" or revolution. That is it.

Aljazeera plus Al-Akhbar plus Wikileaks and Tunisia
Comrade Kamal is right: The brave Tunisian people, Aljazeera (even with a relatively restraint coverage), Al-Akhbar (though its translation and dissemination of the Wikileaks document on corruption in the government), and Wikileaks did Bin `Ali in.
Posted by As'ad at 6:17 PM Email ThisBlogThis!Share to TwitterShare to FacebookShare to Google Buzz