This diary is being published exactly two years, to the minute, after I published my first of 270 diaries on the social-political phenomenon that came to be known as the Arab Spring.
At the time, I was writing the still unfinished screenplay for Vietnam: People's Victory, the sequel to my 2008 Vietnam: American Holocaust, and I don't think I could have found Tunisia on a map without consulting Google first.
When I checked my email on the morning of 14 January 2011, I found a bulletin from EFF warning about a JavaScript exploit that the Ben Ali regime was using to track and arrest anti-government Tunisian bloggers.
It was my work in the area of Internet freedom that brought me awareness of the Arab Spring early on.
I decided to put my other tasks aside for a while and write a diary about it for the Daily Kos. EMERGENCY: DKos Must Act Now to Protect Tunisian Bloggers! was the product and I never looked back.
This second anniversary would almost certainly have escaped my attention but for an impromptu twitter exchange with Robert Fisk yesterday.
Sunday, Common Dreams published Anonymous Comments, Gutless Trolls, and Why It's Time We All Stop Drinking This Digital Poison by Robert Fisk.
After reading it, I tweeted:
So now @robertfisk opposes anonymity on the Internet. #Assad will love that position too commondreams.org/view/2013/01/1… #Syria — Clay Claiborne (@clayclai) January 13, 2013
So now @robertfisk opposes anonymity on the Internet. #Assad will love that position too commondreams.org/view/2013/01/1… #Syria
Which provoked the following exchange:
@robertfisk bloggers in #Tunisia were arrested & disappeared when they could be IDed, in #Syria too. You & I have privileges every1 doesn't — Clay Claiborne (@clayclai) January 13, 2013
@robertfisk bloggers in #Tunisia were arrested & disappeared when they could be IDed, in #Syria too. You & I have privileges every1 doesn't
@robertfisk which reminds me. this was the issue that started me writing about the Arab Spring 2 years ago tomorrow dailykos.com/story/2011/01/… — Clay Claiborne (@clayclai) January 13, 2013
@robertfisk which reminds me. this was the issue that started me writing about the Arab Spring 2 years ago tomorrow dailykos.com/story/2011/01/…
@clayclai true . . . I see your point. Anonymity can be useful when transmitting important info to the rest of the world #Syria #Tunisia — Robert Fisk (@RobertFisk) January 13, 2013
@clayclai true . . . I see your point. Anonymity can be useful when transmitting important info to the rest of the world #Syria #Tunisia
These are my early diaries on the Tunisia, Egypt and the Arab Spring: EMERGENCY: DKos Must Act Now to Protect Tunisian Bloggers! The WikiLeaks Revolution: Anonymous Strikes Tunisia UPDATED: Tunis: This Photo was Taken 66 Minutes Ago Is Libya Next? Anonymous Debates New Operation Arrested Pirate Party Member Becomes Tunisian Minister Anonymous plans Op Swift Assist in Tunisia Tunisia: A Single Tweet Can Start A Prairie Fire! BREAKING: Algerian Protesters Clash w Police as Anon starts OpAlgeria Huffington Post Disses the Jasmine Revolution Tunisians Thank Anonymous as North Africa Explodes BREAKING: Protesters Plan Massive "Day of Wrath" in Egypt Today UPDATED: Egypt Protests Continue, Tunisia Wants Ben Ali Back North African Revolution Continues Egypt is on Fire! No Internet? No Problem! Anonymous Faxes Egypt Huffington Post Disses the Jasmine Revolution Redux Million Egyptian Protest Planned as Resistance Continues They Should Have Helped That Street Vendor Act Now to Stop Mubarak's Thugs From Killing More! Act Now to Stop Mubarak's Thugs From Killing More! w Petition Protesters roar back with "Day of Departure" for Mubarak Tunisian Anonymous activists take on Egyptian cause UPDATE: Google Goes Rebel, Supports Egyptian Protest Tunisia's Revolution Continues The Google Search for Wael Ghonim BREAKING: Mubarak is Defiant UPDATE: Egypt's Mubarak Has Resigned! - The Mubarak Screw Up & the Suleiman Danger Tales of Tyrants: Ben Ali, Mubarak & Suleiman Senior Egyptian Army Officers Ordered Massacre! Algeria's 19 year long State of Emergency to end soon, President says Are "mutinous officers" are being executed in Egypt now? Secret U.S. Intelligence Source on Middle East Revealed! Google Supports Revolts | Anonymous does too! Californians Support North African Revolts Who's running Egypt? Occupy Nigeria - 1st African fruits of Qaddafi gone? Occupy Nigeria Hollywood Protest African Spring continues in Senegal Mali Coup is latest post-Qaddafi fallout BREAKING: Wade defeated in Senegal & other Africa Updates People flex power in three African Countries. Charles Taylor, Qaddafi goon, found guilty of war crimes in Sierra Leone Prospects for peace in Sudan much better with Qaddafi gone BREAKING: Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi removes Army leader
These are my articles on the Libyan Revolution: Bani Walid Revisited Bani Walid BREAKING: Libya | BaniWalid falls! US Ambassador to Libya, Chris Stevens Murder Timeline Libya: This is what democracy looks like - protesters take over HQ of Ansar al-Sharia My answer to Secretary Clinton Re: US Death in Libya Women and the Libyan Revolution The Left and the Arab Spring Libya's elected congress to take power today The Elections and Libya's Violent Militias #Libya at the crossroads: The ballot or the bullet Is Libya better off than it was? Libyan Elections to be held July 7th Qaddafi forces Strike Back in Libya Libya & Syria - two videos - no comment BREAKING: Libyan High Court strikes down anti-free speech law Where should Libya's Saif Qaddafi be tried? MSM plays Hankey Panky with Libya Qaddafi lies live on after him Another "Houla style" massacre in Syria Libya's Qaddafi helped US & Israel against Iran in Olympic Games Why is Russia demanding NATO boots on the ground in Libya? #LyElect Libyans register to vote 1st time in 60 years Libya's Revolution: How We Won - The Internationale in the 21st Century Good News from Libya On Libya & Glenn Greenwald: Are the anti-interventionists becoming counter-revolutionaries? UN: NATO killed 60 civilians in Libya Libya in the news today Amnesty International on Libya again The Current Situation in Libya Democracy Now & Amy Goodman gets it wrong again. Why is Chris Hedges calling for "boots on the ground" in Libya? The Worm Has Turned: Good Film on Libyan Revolution from PressTV Why NATO's mission in Libya isn't over yet Libya's Freedom Fighters: How They Won Racism in Libya Abdul Rahman Gave his Eyes to See the End of Qaddafi BREAKING: Secret files reveal Dennis Kucinich talks with Qaddafi Regime BREAKING: Libyan TNC won't extradite Lockerbie bomber Who really beat Qaddafi? #Feb17: @NATO Please help MEDEVAC wounded from #Libya What should those that opposed NATO's intervention in Libya demand now? BREAKING: Qaddafi's Tripoli Compound Falls! Does PDA Support Qaddafi? BREAKING: Operation Mermaid Dawn, the Battle to Liberate Tripoli is Joined Helter Skelter: Qaddafi's African Adventure Qaddafi's Long Arm SCOOP: My Lai or Qaddafi Lie? More on the 85 Civilians presumed killed by NATO Did NATO kill 85 Libyan Villagers As Qaddafi Regime Contends? CCDS Statement on Libya - a Critique The Assassination of General Abdul Fattah Younis NATO over Tripoli - Air Strikes in the Age of Twitter How Many Libyans has NATO Killed? Qaddafi Terror Files Start to Trickle Out! Have Libyan Rebels Committed Human Rights Abuses? Tripoli Green Square Reality Check Behind the Green Curtain: Libya Today Gilbert Achcar on the Libyan situation and the Left NATO slammed for Libya civilian deaths NOT! 2011-07-01 Qaddafi's Million Man March NATO's Game Plan in Libya February 21st - Tripoli's Long Night Did Qaddafi Bomb Peaceful Protesters? Tripoli Burn Notice Libyans, Palestinians & Israelis 'Brother' Qaddafi Indicted plus Libya & Syria: Dueling Rally Photofinishs An Open Letter to ANSWER ANSWER answers me 2011-06-22 No Libyans allowed at ANSWER Libya Forum Are they throwing babies out of incubators yet? Continuing Discussion with a Gaddafi Supporter Boston Globe oped supports Gaddafi with fraudulent journalism 2011-04-13 Doha summit supports Libyan rebels Current Events in Libya Amonpour Plays Softball with Gaddafi Arming Gaddfi North African Revolution Continues Is Libya Next? Anonymous Debates New Operation
Here are my related diaries on Syria: Defections and Murder [#Syria #Assad] 50 countries want Syria referred to ICC, US should join them! Diane Sawyer's insensitivity towards Syrian children BREAKING: Taftanaz, Assad's biggest air base falls in Syria Syria: Friday of the Death Camps NY Times: Assad has sarin in bombs at airfields Syria: Assad must be defeated on the battlefield Syrian opposition says still receiving no help BREAKING: UN says 60,000 killed in Syrian conflict 5,000 Syrians murdered in 2011, 40,000 in 2012, what will 2013 bring? MSM finally reports on Syria massacre story I broke here yesterday Prediction: In 2013 Syria will see the last of Assad BREAKING: Massacre in Homs Syria right now! 150 burnt corpses found Why did this Syrian mother try to kill her own child? BREAKING: Another high level defection in Syria BREAKING: Defecting General confirms use of chemical weapons in Syria Sticking to their story: UNAC's new 'Statement on Syria' Why I think #Syria is so important Bashar Assad reported willing to leave Syria with entourage of 142 BREAKING: 300 killed in air strike on breadline in #Syria BREAKING: Chemical weapons first use reported in Syria BREAKING: Russia takes control of Syrian chemical weapons Syria: Assad Regime enters the Deathwatch Phase SecState[?] John Kerry and his 'dear friend' Bashar Assad A Libyan rebel speaks out on Jihadists in Syria Does what Obama said at Newtown apply to Syria? BREAKING: Heavy fighting in Damascus as coup attempt reported in progress Assad's jets bomb Palestinian refugee camp Jabhat al-Nusra is a Threat to the Syrian Revolution AP weighs in on Obama's Green Light for Assad's slaughter in Syria Syrian opposition says "Thanks but No Thanks!" to foreign intervention BREAKING: Assad firing Scud missiles at Syria Is Assad using white phosphorus in Syria? BREAKING: Obama recognizes opposition in Syria Speaking for the murderous regime in Syria State of the war in Syria: Most of Damascus now in FSA hands! Syria: Obama's moves Assad's "red line" back as SOHR reports 42,000 dead! UPDATED: Syria goes dark as "cleansing" begins in Damascus BREAKING: Assad's Troops Wipe Out a Playground Full of Children in #Syria BREAKING: Russia denies Syrian army on brink of collapse BREAKING in Syria: Explosion rocks Damascus as people use "Truce Day" to protest regime We condemn Israel. So why the silence on Syria? Norodom Sihanouk at his finest & more on Syria Meet a Syrian who doesn't think both sides are equally bad and is betting her life on it! Two statements about Syria Syria Today: New videos from the revolutionary war Syrian Defector: Assad behind "terrorist" bombs How Assad fights "terrorism" in Syria REVISITED: FSA says it killed Russian General in Syria Turkey attacks Syria Truth Out: How Assad helped France kill Qaddafi Panetta: Unilateral U.S. Military Intervention in Syria Would Be a Serious Mistake BREAKING: 305 Syrians slaughtered in bloodiest day yet Syria: Secret source of rebel arms revealed BREAKING: Amnesty on Syria - Assad Regime guilty on indiscriminate slaughter Syrian Revolution Digest shows "disgusting" photos! Syria: The Killing Field the World is Learning to Live With Barack Obama's Courtship of Bashar al-Assad LIVE VIDEO: “World Silence is Killing Syria” Rally in #DC Free #Syria responds to Robert Fisk UPDATED: #Assad: "#Syria doesn't need a green light!" Obama opposes French support for #Assad's opposition in #Syria BREAKING: Amnesty site hacked, Assad propaganda posted BREAKING: 630 Slaughtered in new massacre in Syria Special message from Syrian children to Obama Assad's Redline and Obama's Greenlight! General Meade at Gettysburg Tell US gov't to stop endangering Syrian activists UPDATED: Obama "green lights" #Assad's slaughter in Syria Syria: Turning Battlegrounds into Playgrounds BREAKING: Bashar al-Assad is alive as deaths in Syria reach 25,000 The Left and the Arab Spring Iran increasing its intervention in Syria Syria: Images from the Battle of Aleppo Fears grow of WMD attack in Syria UPDATED: FSA says it killed Russian General in Syria BREAKING: Syria releases new images of Bashar al- Assad | Are they fakes? NOT BREAKING NEWS: Just another massacre in Syria UPDATED: Syrian prime minister defects Syria: FSA says Iranian pilgrims really Republican Guard Syria: Aleppo under Siege! BREAKING: UN votes to condemn Assad Regime as Reuters posts false story on Syria BREAKING: Kofi Annan resigns as envoy to Syria Syria: Bashar al-Assad not heard from on Armed Forces Day! BREAKING: Senior Syrian diplomat to Armenia defects BREAKING: Big Explosion hits #Damascus #Syria UPDATED: Syria's Charge D'Affaires Quits London Post BREAKING: Ground assault on Aleppo begins! BREAKING: Protests across Syria in spite of Assad regime violence ALEPPO: Step outside the Matrix and witness the Horror UPDATED: US fears massacre in #Aleppo, #Syria BREAKING: Reports of clashes between Jordan Army & Assad's Syrian army BRAKING: Obama stops Putin from re-arming Assad in Syria Syria: Foreign meddling increases as crisis builds BREAKING: Aleppo, Syria bombed with fighter jets BREAKING: Syria issues a correction, it has no WMD to use BREAKING: Arab League asks Assad to step down! Bashar al-Assad: New images released as slaughter continues in Syria no blood for oil BREAKING: Activists report toxic gas attack in Deir ez-Zor, Syria Glenn Greenwald sees Islamist Terrorism as main issue in Syria Will Syria's Assad make a chemical attack in Damascus on Saturday? BREAKING: I know where Syria's President Bashar al-Assad is! BREAKING: Massive Fire near #Assad's Presidential Palace in #Damascus, #Syria BREAKING: Is Syria's Bashar al-Assad dead or dying? BREAKING: Damascus explosion kills Defense Minister, other key figures The battle for Damascus is coming BREAKING: General Strike in Damascus BREAKING: Intense fighting reported in Damascus now! BREAKING: Syrian defector spills beans as important new defection reported. Does Syria's Assad have something on Kofi Annan? Tremseh Massacre in Syria: What we know BREAKING: ~227 reported massacred by Assad's forces in Tremseh, Syria today! Syria: Is Assad regime on the verge of collapse? BREAKING: Russian Warships reported in Syria BREAKING: #Russia changing on #Assad but not as fast as conditions in #Syria UN Observers say violence in Syria is ‘Unprecedented’ BREAKING: Defection of major Assad insider reported in Syria BREAKING: WikiLeaks releases 2.4 million #Syria emails When did "Never Again" become "Whenever?" | #Douma BREAKING: Incredible mass rally in Aleppo, Syria today! BREAKING: HRW releases torture report on Syria BREAKING: Syrian General defects with 293 to Turkey BREAKING: Items not in the MSM on Syria My response to Phyllis Bennis: Where is the non-violent opposition in Syria? BREAKING: Syrian Air Force attacks Douma, 10m from Damascus, thousands flee BREAKING: As Syria Burns, UN Blows More Smoke BREAKING: Kofi Annan to propose Syrian unity gov't sans Assad! BREAKING: Douma, Syria under massive attack, another massacre feared BREAKING: Another mass defection from Syrian army BREAKING: #NATO says No War in #Syria shoot down of #Turkey jet NATO meetup tomorrow as more defect from Syria BREAKING: Turkey calls for NATO consult on downing of jet by Syria BREAKING: Senior Syrian Officers Defect UPDATED: Russia reported to be preparing to evacuate from Syria BREAKING: Syria fighter pilot defects BREAKING: Britain stops Russian ship carrying attack helicopters for Syria BREAKING: Russian troops headed to Syria Qaddafi forces Strike Back in Libya BREAKING: UN suspends mission in Syria Libya & Syria - two videos - no comment BREAKING: Russia denies supplying Syria with NEW attack helicopters Syrian people rise up against the massacre Another "Houla style" massacre in Syria Fake Houla Massacre Photo: Was the BBC set up? Idlib, Syria protest today on anniversary of Kent State killings BREAKING: Massive protests in Syria following Friday pray Syria is bleeding Syria: Ceasefire faltering as mass protests breakout BREAKING: Massacre in Homs Syria right now! 150 burnt corpses found