Let's talk Tunisia

Carla et Nicolas Sarkozy paradent à Tunis
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Heads up, possums.

"the growth of recruitment of those willing to die for the holy war is most terrifying."

Tunisia warned about al Qaeda's spectacular hits.

Algeria has warned its North African neighbors that al Qaeda terrorists are planning "spectacular attacks" to destabilize local governments and strike at industrial installations...According to the French Institute for International Relations in Paris, Tunisia is one of the main targets because of its friendly relations with the United States and its successful antiterrorist activities...In various messages, some on the Internet, al Qaeda has warned of the "approaching punishment" for Tunisian President Zine el Abidine Ben Ali, "whose regime obeys orders of the West and combats the Islamic veil." Tunisia has banned women's head scarves in public buildings, considering them to be a political statement...Tunisia last fall called on its neighbors to pool their antiterrorism resources...Then, at a conference on terrorism, Mr. Ben Ali said, "Tunisia was among the first to have warned against the pernicious consequences of this phenomenon and stressed the need for intensifying cooperation to guard against it and eradicate it."

Good thing our man Sarko is on the job. Sarkozy praises Tunisia terror fight

With a supermodel on one arm, and big fat letters of intent to build a "700 megawatt conventional power plant in Tunisia", to sell 16 Airbus aircraft to Tunis Air and with "signed accords on nuclear cooperation, migration and aid" on the other, Nicholas Sarkozy cut a wide swath through Tunisia. Reuters has to be the turd in the punchbowl at the occasion with this lede, of course.

French President Nicolas Sarkozy dismissed concerns over Tunisia's human rights record on Monday, portraying its counter-terrorism efforts as a bulwark against the emergence of a "Taliban-type" regime in north Africa.

In a speech at the start of a trip aimed at boosting economic ties with one of France's closest Arab allies, Sarkozy said he would not give lessons on human rights and Tunisia had made advances in granting more personal freedoms. Tunisia is the Maghreb's most westernised state, but rights groups accuse the government of muzzling the press and beating and jailing opponents. It denies the accusations.

Sarkozy said President Zine al Abidine Ben Ali was fighting against terrorism, "which is the true enemy of democracy. For France the fight undertaken here is important," he said. "Because who could believe that if tomorrow, or after tomorrow, a Taliban type regime was established in one of your countries in north Africa, that Europe and France could feel secure? I call on everyone to reflect on that."

Tunisian authorities have cracked down on anyone showing a readiness to join al Qaeda abroad or build support for it at home. Local lawyers say about 1,000 people have been arrested since 2003 on terrorism charges, including for recruiting fighters for the Iraqi insurgency against U.S.-led forces.

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