Tunisia: the success story of a police state

"A week before the Tunisian government collapsed on Friday, with its longtime dictator fleeing the country in the face of massive popular protests, a Washington, DC public relations firm that had been hired by the government abruptly severed its relationship the North African nation.  Last May, the Tunisian regime retained the Washington Media Group, which also represents private equity funds, aerospace companies, unions, and medical research companies, and banking giant Citigroup, to help promote its image abroad. In a press release announcing the contract, WMG referred to Tunisia as an "international business success story." At the time, John Leary, a partner at WMG, described Tunisia as a "peaceful, Islamic country" and a "stable democracy" with a "terrific story to share with the world." (Tunisia ranks 144th of 167 countries ranked on The Economist's Democracy Index, a widely accepted measure of political freedom. But it's farther ahead on some measures, such as women's rights, than most of the Arab world.) The press release also claimed the deal highlighted "the firm's demonstrated successes on behalf of clients small and large."" (thanks Anthony)