Tag Archives: ben ali

Opinion: Tunisia – forgotten backwater of French and US power now a basket case

Almost ten years ago the School of Oriental and African Studies, (SOAS) awarded me a small research grant to go to Tunisia with the aim of charting her growing relationship with the EU. Algeria, Morrocco, ultimately Libya joined an EU free trade deal to open markets and democratise instutions. Ten years on these initiatives have grossly failed in a hail of bloodshed and crack down. The countries of the Maghreb have been given the benefit of the doubt by France, the US and the UK because the Tunisian President Ben Ali – who took power in a coup d’etat in …

Posted in Europe / International | Also tagged and | 1 Comment
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  • John Grout
    This is a good start, but the sooner Ed corrects his statement about the Supreme Court judgement himself, the better. Hopefully he'll take the opportunity to do...
  • Peter Martin
    @ Mark, The rail network was only in private hands for the privatisation of British Rail in 1994 up until 2001. The Hatfield crash, which was blamed squarely...
  • Jennie
    Thank you, CJ. And thanks for the EDM too (and to every other MP who has signed it)...
  • Jenny Barnes
    David Evans “In workplaces and services that are open to the public: – trans women (biological men) should not be permitted to use the women’s facilities...
  • Mark
    Mick Taylor states that British Rail had an "enviable safety record." The idea that the railways were safer in the 1950s, 1960s, 1970s or 1980s than they are...