House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Rep. Ed Royce (R-CA) responded to the news of a terrorist attack Wednesday that killed 20 in a museum in Tunisia by calling for the United States to provide greater support.
Tunisia is the only country that emerged as a constitutional democracy following the protests of the Arab Spring in 2011
This attack is abhorrent but not surprising. As a new democracy in a region in turmoil, Tunisia has become a target for terrorists. Tunisia is a symbol of peaceful democratic transition in the Middle East. The U.S. needs to do more to help Tunisia secure its borders and build capable government institutions – especially in the security sector.
Tunisia is largely seen as the birthplace of the Arab Spring, which was sparked following the self-immolation of struggling fruit vendor, Mohamed Bouazizi, to protest corruption.
Despite adopting a new constitution in January of 2014, and moving towards greater political stability, Tunisia is still battling against the radicalization of its Muslim youth, approximately 3,000 of whom have defected to join the Islamic State.
Follow Adelle Nazarian on Twitter @AdelleNaz
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