Joy as Tunisian President Flees Offers Lesson to Arab Leaders (Anthony Shadid) from the New York Times
"Tunisia’s uprising electrified the region. The most enthusiastic suggested it was the Arab world’s Gdansk, the birthplace of Solidarity in Poland, which heralded the end to Communist rule in Eastern Europe."
Tunisia's Jasmine Revolution (Mona Eltahawy) from the Washington Post
"Not once in my 43 years have I thought that I'd see an Arab leader toppled by his people. It is nothing short of poetic justice that it was neither Islamists nor invasion-in-the-name-of-democracy that sent the waters rushing onto Ben Ali's ship but, rather, the youth of his country."
Tunisia Revolt: Will It Spread? (John Jensen) from the Global Post
"Less than an hour after the news broke that President Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali had fled Tunisia, the political reverberations of his departure were already being felt over 1,000 miles away in Egypt’s capital."
Egypt would certainly be a logical "next stop" for an uprising. For decades, there has been a "day of reckoning" coming for the leadership there.
Crossroads for Arab Dictators (Bruce Reidel) from the Daily Beast
"The revolution portends trouble for nearby regimes, from Egypt to Libya. Ex-CIA officer Bruce Riedel on why other dominoes may fall—and how U.S. policy just got more complicated."
The Washington Post Editorial Board has a related analysis HERE.
Speaking of Arab dictators:
Trouble in Libya? from Al-Bab [of Yemen in English]
"Just two days after the overthrow of President Ben Ali in Tunisia, videos are circulating of disturbances in neighbouring Libya. Needless to say, this is causing a good deal of excitement on Twitter."
Israel Tests on Worm Called Crucial in Iran Nuclear Delay from the New York Times
"Over the past two years, according to intelligence and military experts familiar with its operations, Dimona has taken on a new, equally secret role — as a critical testing ground in a joint American and Israeli effort to undermine Iran’s efforts to make a bomb of its own."
Make sure to check out the graphic to the left of the article "How Stuxnet Spreads"
A Nuclear Iran? Not So Fast (Doyle McManus) from the Los Angeles
"Diplomacy, sanctions and even sabotage appear to have slowed Tehran's efforts."
Obama Administration Relaxes Cuba Restrictions from the Financial Times [of London]
"The Obama administration has relaxed travel restrictions and remittances to Cuba, just as its communist President, Raúl Castro, seems to be liberalising its economy, although the long-standing embargo remains in place."
An interesting [and in my view long overdue] development.
The Hidden Reasons Why this was Barack Obama's Best Week Yet (David Rothkopf) from Foreign Policy Magazine
"There are other reasons quite apart from Tucson that make this the most successful week of his presidency. Reasons that build on the momentum of the past month but that go beyond it, that are attributable to conscious and smart decisions made and actions taken by him and his team. "
After the Shootings, Obama Reminds the Nation of the Golden Rule (Sen. John McCain) from the Washington Post
"I disagree with many of the president's policies, but I believe he is a patriot sincerely intent on using his time in office to advance our country's cause. I reject accusations that his policies and beliefs make him unworthy to lead America or opposed to its founding ideals. And I reject accusations that Americans who vigorously oppose his policies are less intelligent, compassionate or just than those who support them."
It is refreshing to see the first evidence that McCain actually might be getting over his defeat by Obama and behaving like a semi-responsible elected official again. Here's a commentary on McCain's article from Dan Balz of the Washington Post.
An ex-Weather Underground Radical on the Tucson Shootings and Political Violence (Mark Rudd) from the Washington Post
"I considered myself an agent of necessity in a political revolution. I'm not sure if Loughner, who seems to suffer from mental illness, can be considered an agent of anything. But I'm sure that if, as alleged, he pulled the trigger, he had convinced himself that he was doing what needed to be done. At his age, I had thought myself into a similar corner."
I'm not sure I buy the parallel he draws here -- but it is interesting nonetheless.
No One Listened to Gabrielle Giffords (Frank Rich) from the New York Times
"As soon as the president left the podium Wednesday night, we started shifting into our familiar spin-dry post-tragedy cycle of the modern era — speedy “closure,” followed by a return to business as usual, followed by national amnesia. If we learn nothing from this tragedy, we are back where we started. And where we started was with two years of accelerating political violence — actual violence, not to be confused with violent language — that struck fear into many, not the least of whom was Gabrielle Giffords."
From the Pundits: The Finest Speech of Obama's Presidency (Adam Clark Estes) from Joan Walsh's blog at Salon
"The speech -- quickly and popularly identified as the best address Obama's given since he was elected -- ran long compared to those of past presidents like Bill Clinton or George W. Bush in times of national tragedy. But the pundits didn't seem to mind one bit."
Obama's Speech Wins Over Critics (Laura Meckler & Jonathan Weisman) from the Wall Street Journal
"President Barack Obama's speech at a service for the Arizona shooting victims came amid an effort to recast himself as a unifying figure, after two years of partisan fights. Soon after he left the podium, it was clear he had taken another step in that direction."
Obama's Emotional Plea for Unity on Day of Grief (David Usborne) from the Independent [of London]
"In his speech in Tucson, the President reminded a nation of his appeal as an inspirational leader."
If These Guys Don't Want Repeal… (Jonathan Cohn) from the New Republic
"Why the Health Care Industry Is So Ambivalent About Repeal."
Presidential Primary Book Club (Gail Collins) from the New York Times
"as a public service, I am going to start providing summaries of the latest books from the potential Republican nominees so we’ll all be well educated by the time the debates begin." She looks at “Courage to Stand: An American Story,” by Tim Pawlenty.
MARTIN LUTHER KING DAY NUGGET!!
On Martin Luther King Day, Remembering the First Draft of 'I Have a Dream' (Clarence Jones) from the Washington Post
"For the previous three years, I had been an adviser to Martin Luther King Jr., his personal lawyer and one of his speechwriters. ... Because of some dark ops on the part of the FBI, Martin could not deal directly with Stanley, yet he very much valued his advice, so it made sense for Martin to stay at my home and have me act as a go-between as we planned the March on Washington - and the speech Martin would deliver."
LITERARY HISTORY NUGGET!!
The Deadliest Book Review from the New York Times
"One hundred years ago, a libel accusation leveled at a famous novelist ended in the most spectacular crime in American literary history."
ACROSS-THE-POND OBAMA ENVY NUGGET!!
Barack Obama Captured the Mood of a Nation. Can David Cameron Do the Same? (Janet Daley) from the Daily Telegraph [of the UK]
"The president's speech in Tucson showed the transforming power of language - a power that David Cameron has thus far been unable to master, argues Janet Daley."
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