ntry in a bloodless coup In November 1987. Ben Ali and his family were accused of corruption and plundering the country's money with the First Lady Leila Ben Ali was described as an "unabashed shopaholic" who used the state airplane to make frequent unofficial trips to Europe's fashion capitals. Tunisia refu

y of riches and vanity. Shame — a great, disciplining force in Arab life of old — quit Arab lands. In Tunisia, a hairdresser-turned-despot's wife, Leila Ben Ali, now pronounced on all public matters; in Egypt the despot's son, Gamal Mubarak, brazenly staked a claim to power over 80 million people; in Syria,

y of riches and vanity. Shame — a great, disciplining force in Arab life of old — quit Arab lands. In Tunisia, a hairdresser-turned-despot's wife, Leila Ben Ali, now pronounced on all public matters; in Egypt the despot's son, Gamal Mubarak, brazenly staked a claim to power over 80 million people; in Syria,