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Here is a rule of thumb for Arab tyrants: if their spokesman claims that they are in good health then that must mean they are about to die or have died already.
This is a common feature in the Arab world where this or that leader is claimed to be in good health because the close circle of ruling elites fear the consequences in the form of a coup if the leader dies or is known to be in bad health before a successor within that circle can be announced. So while they plan their continued dictatorship, the leader slowly dies all the while the state media runs dated videos and images as if they took place today.
It may be the Saudi royals who pioneered this. And now Tunisia's tyrant and his cadre of thugs is mimicking. Tunisia's president is known to be very sick, and for years now with his health deteriorating. And recently he may have undergone surgery. But here is what the Tunisian propagandists are stating about the 73-year-old:
Tunisian President Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali was carrying out public duties this week after taking most of last week off work to recover from a throat illness.
State media said the 73-year-old head of state received the prime minister and the leaders of political parties on Monday and on Tuesday Ben Ali spoke at an economic conference in Carthage north of the capital Tunis.Spain's King Juan Carlos had been due to visit Tunisia last week but the trip was cancelled after Ben Ali's personal physician advised him to rest for five days to recover from an acute pharynx inflammation.
The tyrant-in-office-since-1986 is not ill from a mere sore throat. Have you ever heard of someone resting in bed for five days simply because their throat is hurting? Ben Ali has something and it is far worse, but, of course, we do not know yet.
And this dictator did not meet any leaders and did not speak at an economic conference. There is no photo of video of such events, which are usually highly-publicized by his propaganda apparatus.
So he remains a soon-to-be-corpse on his bed.
Ben Ali: Die already, the Tunisian people have suffered enough, just don't let Leila take over!
