While on the one hand I welcome any attempt to remove a corrupt dictatorship, the lack of any opposition in these countries is very worrying as the system could collapse into a total vacuum.

In Tunisia the remains of the previous government seem to be trying to hang-on to power - whether they will get away with that remains to be seen.

Many of these countries have a poorly educated population and the lack of any kind of rule could see anarchy.

Ah no, ITK; I know North Africa very well (and love it); the educational system in both Morocco and Tunisia is now very good indeed; I think that's part of the problem; a new generation of literate, educated, intelligent young people with nowhere to go.

Let's hope they get organised very quickly.

I too like Arab culture very much. Some countries (Somalia) are very poor indeed but others are rising fast (20 million internet users in Egypt, for example).

the oddest thing is Vice President Joe Biden saying today that Mubarack isn't a dictator.

And he is elected of course.

The fact that no-one else is allowed to stand for the position is entirely co-incidental.

It is very hard to work out; I believe, like Ben Ali, Mubarak was fantastic when he took over but power (or love of it) corrupts. My great worry about the Arab states is that the liberal and tolerant Islamists may be ousted by extreme religious fanatics; as happened in Iran; get rid of a dictator and religion triumphs but the extreme, intolerant type is strongest.

Reuters now reporting that many many people seem with head injuries as the police state cracks down.

JK2006 wrote:
My great worry about the Arab states is that the liberal and tolerant Islamists may be ousted by extreme religious fanatics; as happened in Iran; get rid of a dictator and religion triumphs but the extreme, intolerant type is strongest.

Thats what I meant in my original post, JK, when I said that the lack of any opposition (thus far) means there is nothing (with any experience) to fill the vacuum when the dictator falls.

Veritas - Mugabe has "elections" too !

Yes the trouble with liberal, intelligent, complex democratic parties is they tend to be vacuous and useless (like all UK/US parties and politicians). Simplistic slogans and autocratic rule is far more effective but civil liberties and freedom disappear.