Tunisia Analysis: Converting the Opposition into Government Supporters?

Prime Minister Mohamed GhannouchiSo Tunisia is now in a 60-day phase between the announcement of the Government, replacing the deposed regime of President Ben Ali, and elections. While the contest on the streets against Ben Ali's former security men seems to have been won, we wait to see if the second challenge in our analysis yesterday will be met: will this Government be seen as legitimate?

A symbolic answer was attempted by about 1000 protesters on Monday in Tunis. A demonstration that started peacefully was dispersed by water cannon and tear gas when demonstrators tried to approach Government buildings, but the political demands remain.

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Terrorism Weekly: How Britain's Police Infiltrated the Environmental Movement (and Why It Will Continue)

In Britain this week the story of an eco-warrior and professional mountain climber was front-page news. We learned of Mark Stone was a keen supporter of environmental causes and active in a variety of protest movements. Even better, he owned a van allowing him to transport his comrades to various gatherings.

So far, a tale of a dedicated activist. But Stone actually had a different job and a different name. Mark Kennedy was a policeman who had grown his hair long, left behind his wife and children, and gone deep undercover for seven years, travelling to 22 different countries, to infiltrate the environmental movement and solve the problem of domestic extremism". He had spied on all those who thought he was a keen protector of the environment, leaving behind a profound sense of betrayal when the truth of his identity emerged.

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US Special: Remembering Martin Luther King and the Promised Land (Haddigan)

"We've got some difficult days ahead. But it doesn't matter with me now. Because I've been to the mountaintop. And I don't mind. Like anybody, I would like to live a long life. Longevity has its place. But I'm not concerned about that now. I just want to do God's will. And He's allowed me to go up to the mountain. And I've looked over. And I've seen the promised land. I may not get there with you. But I want you to know tonight, that we, as a people will get to the promised land. And I'm happy, tonight. I'm not worried about anything. I'm not fearing any man. Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord."

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Tunisia Latest Video: Monday's Protest in Tunis; Interrogation of Ben Ali Relative

Claimed video of interrogation of Mourad Trabelsi, brother-in-law of deposed President Ben Ali, who was arrested yesterday:

Reuters footage, via The Guardian, of protest:

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Haiti Snapshot: Thoughts on Watching the Return of "Baby Doc"

Hope –-- no matter how difficult it might be to keep –-- is more important than the damage the earthquake, the Duvaliers, and the inattention of the world did to Haiti all these years. It was that hope that gave birth to a nation. And it is that hope that will define the future of that nation.

The effects of last year’s earthquake will disappear in time. The homes that have been destroyed will be rebuilt. The children who have been orphaned will grow up. The souls that were tortured by the past year of hell will heal. They will rebuild Haiti. They will cleanse it of the vermin that have been feeding off it from inside and outside.

Jean-Claude Duvalier and his saprophytic kin will die.

But hope will live. And with it, Haiti will too.  

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Iran Interview: Karroubi Hits Back at the Regime "We Will Surpass These Hardships"

"In the past years, they used to excuse their inefficiencies and failures by referring to the corrupt regime of Shah. Now they have pretexts such as the conspiracies by United States and Israel to cover their violations, mistakes, and ineffectiveness. They constantly use phrases like 'soft' war, combatant [against God], the 'fifth pillar' [spy], corruption, and traitor in their speeches."

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Tunisia LiveBlog: A New Government?

1940 GMT: Tunisian Minister of Interior Ahmed Friaa says 78 people died and 94 were injured in the violence surrounding the downfall of President Ben Ali.

At the time of the clashes, the Government would only admit to between 20 and 30 dead.

1850 GMT: This captioned photograph is making the rounds by e-mail. Former President Ben Ali of Tunisia on left: "Don't be late, it gets lonely." President Hosni Mubarak on right: "You're first, we're next." (h/t Sultan Al Qassemi)

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Tunisia and the Real Net Effect: A First-Hand Account of Why Social Media Matters (Kosina and "S")

"Without the Internet there would be no flow of information, neither within the country nor to the outside world. Without the Internet it would have been possible for the massacre to happen in silence for us and for the outside world. President Ben Ali had censored all the media and especially the Internet (everything except for Al-Jazeera TV)."

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Tunisia Analysis: Battles on the Street, Bigger Battles for A Government

There is a much larger battle going on, away from the clashes on the streets. On Sunday, Prime Minister Mohamed Ghannouchi declared, "Tomorrow we will announce the new government which will open a new page in the history of Tunisia." 

The practical steps behind that flourish are that a coalition has been agreed, with former opposition factions such as the Democratic Progressive Party and the Democratic Forum for Labour and Freedoms each getting one post. "Technocrats" are likely to retain their posts, and there will be representatives from trade unions and lawyers' groups.

Is that enough for legitimacy? Two immediate issues emerge.

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US Politics: Can Obama Use a "New Discourse" To Take Control of the State of the Union?

If President Obama can continue his recent "bold leadership and prophetic eloquence" in the State of the Union Address, he has the opportunity to override the bickering in the House of Representatives, imprinting an indelible impression in the minds of the 77% of Americans who believe that compromise is a worthy objective. No one should be naïve enough to think that politics will not return to the heated debate that marked the last Congress, but on 25 January Obama could don the mantle of representing the "silent majority" of moderates of both parties –-- and Independents --– in the US.

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