Tunisia's government is imposing a curfew on the capital and surrounding region after weeks of violent riots reached Tunis. ...
The announcement came after police firing tear gas and protesters throwing stones clashed in the center of the capital Wednesday, bringing the unrest to the government's doorstep for the first time.
Something is definitely going on there.
UPDATE: And the State Department doesn't want Americans around that something.
UPDATE: Something, indeed:
Tunisian President Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali, facing the worst unrest of his rule, said on Thursday he would not run again when his term ends in 2014, prompting scenes of celebration in the streets of the capital.
Of course, 2014 is a long way off.
UPDATE: Of course, the rioters might think 2014 is too far away:
Tunisia's president announced Friday he would dismiss his government and call new legislative elections after police fired tear gas at thousands of protesters marching through the capital to demand his ouster.
Th protesters are filled with hope that their protests and riots can achieve the ouster of Ben Ali. Term limits doesn't seem like it is acceptable. Can that hope keep the protests going?
As it usually does, the outcome may depend on whether the Tunisian security forces are willing to kill in large numbers to preserve the government.
UPDATE: Wow. The president fled the country:
Violent anti-government protests drove Tunisian President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali from power Friday after 23 years of iron-fisted rule, as anger over soaring unemployment and corruption spilled into the streets.
Now let's see how this plays out. We considered Ali and his government our friend despite the lack of democracy. This was foreign policy realism at work. How will those who drove Ali from power view us now? Luckily, we never had to make a choice between supporting a crackdown or supportint the protesters.
A month ago, it was just something in the air. Today an iron-fisted--though to be fair, not bloody minded--ruler fell.
