Tunisian Revolution Shakes, Inspires Middle East – Cole in Truthdig

Juan Cole 01/18/2011

My column is out at Truthdig on the wider repercussions in the Middle East of the Tunisian events, “Tunisian Revolution Shakes, Inspires Middle East”.

Excerpt:

‘The spectacle of masses of demonstrators pouring down Bourguiba Avenue on Friday, overwhelming security forces and putting the president to flight, raised the hopes of the dispossessed and the downtrodden, even as it inspired a gathering dread in the breasts of the region’s dictators and absolute monarchs.’

Read the whole thing.

About the Author

Juan Cole is the founder and chief editor of Informed Comment. He is Richard P. Mitchell Professor of History at the University of Michigan He is author of, among many other books, Muhammad: Prophet of Peace amid the Clash of Empires and The Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam. Follow him on Twitter at @jricole or the Informed Comment Facebook Page