While Hilary Clinton Kills the Tunisian Revolution…

The U.S. Secretary of State was acting like a bride’s mother at the “Friends of Syria” conference in Tunisia. She was nodding joyfully while Moncef al-Marzouki, the President of Tunisia, was speaking. She was looking with eyes full of love toward the Prime Minister of Qatar. She was smiling in solidarity with all of those who want the military intervention in Syria. The American diplomat wants Tunisians to forget that Ben Ali was oppressing his people and denying opposition from nationalists, leftists and Islamists because of her country.

The Arab memory is short. When Ben Ali was a spoiled young boy of the West in the Maghreb because of the suppression of Islamists, the leader of the Islamic Nahda, Sheikh Rashid al-Ghannushi, was exiled to London and spoke, but no one heard his voice. Al-Marzouki was trying hard in Paris to convince Washington, France and its allies that it was necessary to diminish the control of the president-dictator; he lost his temper because of the interests.

The Arab memory is short. There is nothing wrong with Hilary Clinton enjoying Tunisian hospitality as long as the goal is to destruct another Arab country in the name of democracy. Washington suddenly woke up to the interests of democracy. They came to Egypt and Tunisia, received congratulations and participated in the weddings, despite the fact that these two fallen countries were the most important allies of America and its intelligence.

Ms. Clinton is shaking her head joyfully and with her, Jeffrey Feltman is shaking his head rapturously while listening to Moncef al-Marzouki. There is no doubt that he is sincere in his effort toward democracy and freedom, even if he was speaking in front of those who do not have a constitution or freedom. Al-Marzouki spent most of his life in prison or being exiled for his temperance. He lived alone in icy cold France. Is it possible to present the gift of his life to someone who supported his deportation and promoted dictatorship in Arab states from the Atlantic Ocean to the Gulf… and especially in the Gulf?

Didn’t al-Marzouki say once that, ”The United States and some of the European countries, starting with France, support dictatorship in Arab-Islamic states under the pretext of stopping Islamic terrorism and illegal immigration?” * Didn’t he assure that, “These countries prevent democracy and human rights within international organizations and break their principles to support the dictatorship and mafia regimes”* (interview with Human Rights Watch).

Hilary Clinton can rely on a short Arab memory at the conference of “Friends of Syria.” She forgot and wants her hosts to forget how Tunisians set out one man against the American invasion in Iraq. She forgot and wants her hosts to forget that the invasion was based on false information that Collin Powell, the Secretary of State, had apologized for after Iraq had been ruined and divided.

A few meters were between the hall where she was being dominant while talking about the future project of the destruction of Syria, and the library where on one of the shelves was a new book by President al-Marzouki, entitled “It’s a Revolution, Your Majesty.” The ancient fighter says in his book that,”The current Western systems dealing with us fell into troubles when their principles of supporting democracy and interests in the tyranny were imposed on them.” *

This American mendicant love for Islamic Tunisia is strange. The Arab memory is short. Tunisians forgot that Sheikh Rashid al-Ghannushi, the leader of Islamic Nahda, was banned from entering the U.S. for over 20 years, accused of supporting Saddam Hussein and other charges that the Islamic leader denied many times. Over these years, Hilary Clinton did not listen to al-Ghannushi, who implored the West to stop Ben Ali’s dictatorship. His voice became hoarse when the American lady was flirting with Arab repressive dictatorships for such voices.

The Tunisian revolution won. It would not have won without the armless people’s revolution. The U.S. and France were reeling in their positions until the fall of Ben Ali and someone shouted “Ben Ali ran away.” But memory is short. It does not matter that she now reaps the fruits. It does not matter that that doors in Washington are open for al-Ghannushi and that he was welcomed by everyone: the neoconservatives, the Jewish lobby and education centers that are close to Israel.

Poor Tunisian revolution. The revolution of people who want a better tomorrow. And this is it, one year after Ben Ali’s escape to Saudi Arabia; it’s reeling between the dangerous tendencies of its predecessors and America’s ambitions to steal the jasmine from the balconies of Mohammed Bouazizi and others. The Syrian people would be miserable if they were supported by those who gathered in Tunisia.

If the Sheikh Imam was alive, he would probably sing ”My honor, Hilary Clinton, Mother of the revolution,” like he sang once, ”My honor, Nixon, Father of Watergate.” *

*These quotes, while accurately translated, could not be verified in English.