This post is part of our special coverage of Tunisia Revolution 2011 [1].
Looking at my Twitterfeed, one would think that the Arab world has been waiting for this day forever. Tweets celebrating the escape [2] of Tunisian president Zine El Abidine Ben Ali from Tunisia have created a riot online.
For Bader Al Aujan, from Saudi Arabia, it is a day of pride [3]:
And Saudi Mohammed Al Dugailbi is as happy [4]:
Dima Khatib draws parallels to the occupation or liberation of Iraq, and says [5]:
I hope Mr George Bush is not too busy at his ranch to watch how people get truly liberated. Not with foreign greedy armies #sidibouzid [6] #Bush [7]
Youssef Chaker urges [8] Tunisians to go all the way:
#Tunis [9], don't replace one dictator with another… Go the full mile and complete the job
From Bahrain, Hashim Alawi tweets [10]:
Yacoub Slaise notes [11]:
Hoping the Tunisians did their homework and read Animal Farm, so as not to end up with a “Napoleon” #Tunsia [12] #sidibouzid [6]
And Bahrainman replies [11]:
Tunisia had a “Napoleon”, and they just got rid of him. They LIVED Animal Farm for 23 years!
While Mahmood Al Yousif tells [13]Tunisians to bask in the glory of their achievement, at least for a day:
do I detect buyer's remorse in some #tunisia [14] tweets now? that didn't take long! c'mon, smile and be optimists at least for today!
Majda72 also sends a special tweet [15]:
Note to the West, this was not an Islamic uprising! Take your Arab world as monolith stereotype and shove it. #sidibouzid [6]
In what has become a Twitterised revolution, Egyptian writer Mona ElTahawy reminds us [16]:
#Twitter [17] didn't cause #JasminRevolt [18]. Daily protests of courageous #Tunisians [19] did. Twitter gave us – the world – front row seat. #Sidibouzid [20]
And Sameer Padania notes [21]:
So looking forward to a day when a long-worked-for revolution happens & no one feels need to instantly claim it's due to the power of tech.
ElTahawy alsoadds [22]:
In #29days [23] #Tunisians [19]‘ brave protests brought down #BenAli [24], dictator of 23 yrs. 1st real post-colonial revolution in #Arab [25] world #Sidibouzid [20]
Ahmad Fahad, from Oman, cannot take his mind off Twitter [26]:
How am I supposed to work while governments are being overthrown live on Twitter?
And Andy Carvin adds [27]:
I just love how the conversation on #sidibouzid [6] just shifted to people reading the Tunisian constitution in great detail.
Egyptian Ahmad Badawy hopes that what had started in Tunisia does not end there. He tweets [28]:
Stay tuned for more coverage from Tunisia.
This post is part of our special coverage of Tunisia Revolution 2011 [1].