Soon after the year began, Zine el-Abidine Ben Ali, who had ruled Tunisia since 1987, and Hosni Mubarak, ruler of Egypt since 1981, were rapidly—and almost bloodlessly—forced out of power.

今年开年不久，自从1987年以来一直统治突尼斯的本 阿里、自1981年以来统治埃及的穆巴拉克，迅速地——近乎不流血的——被迫出局。

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This annoyed Zine el-Abidine Ben Ali (pictured), who has ruled Tunisia since 1987 with virtually no opposition.

这惹恼了宰因•阿比丁•本•阿里(见图)，自他1987年统治突尼斯以来，几乎没有任何人反抗过他。

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In Tunisia Zine el-Abidine Ben Ali met peaceful crowds with concessions.

在突尼斯，因·阿比丁·本·阿里向和平的集聚人群采取妥协措施。

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Three days later, longtime Tunisian President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali was forced to flee the country.

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His act triggered the Tunisian Revolution, ousted then-President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali, and inspired the Arab Spring.

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They have succeeded in that first phase: Gadhafi, Mubarak and Tunisia's Zine el Abidine Ben Ali are gone.

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