Tunisia - working class revolt

[littlebabyjesus]

World Service reporting that his family has been arrested trying to leave.

 

[Divisive Cotton]

news that he has fled the country with the help of the Libyan airforce

 

[littlebabyjesus]

Fuck me, it seems Twitter is ahead of everyone on this.

 

[Streathamite]

What are the army in tunsia? Conscripts? Resented? Nationals service kiddies? Pampered?

one half fiercely resentful conscripts! Tunisia has conscription/military service like most north african nations and applies it extensively, simply because youth unemploymernt is so high that bunging em all in the forces is cheaper and politically more expedient than benefits. The other half, the professional soldier element of the army, as with pro soldiers anywhere, despises and therefore bullies the kids in uniform. Therefore, army loyalty is not a given. However, the professional soldier end of the army do have power and status; wel-trained, well-equipped, well turned out.
e2a; conscripts are badly treated in Tunisia, so they have no fondness for their officers

 

[littlebabyjesus]

The kids won't turn on the people. They didn't in Portugal and they won't here.

 

[Streathamite]

the new PM, Mohamed Ghannouchi, has promised to honour the elections pledge

 

[littlebabyjesus]

So is it done and dusted?

 

[Streathamite]

news that he has fled the country with the help of the Libyan airforce

yes, he's made it to Malta

 

[butchersapron]

So is it done and dusted?

The palace coup? No.

 

[Streathamite]

So is it done and dusted?

nope, it rarely is in arab countries. there's a state of emergency, curfew etc, the interim prez has addressed the nation on TV, the troops look like they mean business, anything could happen now

 

[littlebabyjesus]

And with Jordanians on the streets too...

wow

 

[Streathamite]

And with Jordanians on the streets too...

wow

given that just about every arab regime is despotic, undemocratic and unstable, it wouldn't surprise me if it spread throughout the whole region

 

[camouflage]

Huzzah for Tunisia! w00t! \o/

Good news indeed. Let us hope for the best.

 

[Divisive Cotton]

I can't wait for tomorrow - are the people going to take to the streets en masse? It certainly looks like it

 

[ymu]

I can't wait for tomorrow - are the people going to take to the streets en masse? It certainly looks like it

They've been told they'll be shot if they do. Still much grimness to come. Let's hope there is a meaningful victory at the end of it.

 

[goldenecitrone]

And with Jordanians on the streets too...

wow

Not surprised. It was well expensive when I was there. I don't know how your average Jordanian manages.

 

[littlebabyjesus]

Not surprised. It was well expensive when I was there. I don't know how your average Jordanian manages. Apart from tourism, obviously.

Well they've been promised subsidised bread this year. But Tunisians were promised subsidised food just a few days ago too.

 

[Divisive Cotton]

They've been told they'll be shot if they do. Still much grimness to come. Let's hope there is a meaningful victory at the end of it.

Well that hasn't stopped them so far has it! If anything, the deaths have galvanised the revolt rather than suppress it

 

[ymu]

Well that hasn't stopped them so far has it! If anything, the deaths have galvanised the revolt rather than suppress it

Absolutely.

 

[Mr.Bishie]

http://www.counterfire.org/index.ph...ition-of-resistance-public-meeting-20-january

 

[camouflage]

They've been told they'll be shot if they do. Still much grimness to come. Let's hope there is a meaningful victory at the end of it.

I don't like the way it's being called the "Jasmin Revolution" mind, does this mean that it's all just another insidious plot by the Americans to inflict neo-liberalism on them? Get them to buy more M16's, host Afri-Com, sell-off giant chunks of their society to billionaires and speculators and/or some other sordid wretched thing?

Hopefully even if it is, it'll get out of the control of whatever the hidden tentacles of N.E.D are machinating behind the scenes and transform into a genuine sovereign democratic movement.

 

[where to]

suddenly since 6pm Tunisia is a Police State and terrible and we're on the side of the people lol, funny watching these scum switch

think we might see a few Tunisian PMs roll over the coming days

 

[Mr.Bishie]

French television reporting that President Sarkozy has refused to accept ousted Tunisian President Ben Ali.

 

[Divisive Cotton]

Unconfirmed reports that he is in Dubai

 

[Megaton]

Congratulations to the Tunisian people on the success of their peaceful revolution. They are opening the door for all people living under the same circumstances, under the same oppressive regimes, the same dictators. What the Tunisian people did will be done in Egypt, in Syria and hopefully all over the Arabic world.

 

[Paulie Tandoori]

Peaceful?

 

[Riklet]

Haha what a surprise, he'll fit right in there in the land of lazy autocratic cunts.

Hope I don't wake up tomorrow to Twitter banned accross the Arab world, heh...

Good to see Ben Ali booted though.

 

[Dan U]

Good work Tunisia

 

[IC3D]

French television reporting that President Sarkozy has refused to accept ousted Tunisian President Ben Ali.

Good for him

 

[Gavin Bl]

the beeb was emphasising tonight that this was not an islamist uprising, but secular (and so they said, middle class - angry unemployed graduates)