Tunisian army emerges strong from people’s revolt focus 01/21/2011

Tunisian army emerges strong from people’s revolt

focus

01/21/2011
TUNIS — Tunisia’s army has emerged from the month of unrest that toppled Zine El Abidine Ben Ali with its reputation burnished and the population full of praise after it refused to open fire on protesters.

The army’s reported resistance to Ben Ali’s orders to fire on the protesters is also credited with prompting his decision to flee on Friday, ending 23 years of authoritarian rule with an escape to Saudi Arabia.

“The national army did not betray the people and the nation,” said one of the many with new pride for the military, theater critic Ahmed El Hadek El Orf.

“And it is the first time that I have used the word ‘national’ for the army,” he said.

“Other than the fact that the army was reluctant to take part in the repression, it showed that it did not want to become mixed up in political games,” unionist Chedli Laajimi said..... MORE

Source:  The Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/commentary/20110121com6.html