Given that Ben Ali is a free man living the good life in Saudi Arabia while Hosni Mubarak is rotting in jail and Muommar Gaddafi is pushing up daisies, it shouldn't be surprising that Ali Abdullah Saleh decided to head for the escape hatch by surrendering power with little fanfare.
The plan calls for a power transfer to Saleh's vice president, Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi, within 30 days and early presidential elections within 90 days of the signing. It also calls for a two-year transition period.
The deal gives Saleh immunity from prosecution.
I would be surprised if Saleh stayed in the country very much longer.
Of course, as we saw in Egypt, such plans do not always go smoothly or peacefully.
But, the Arab Spring has become the Arab year. Bashar Assad should realize that it's not a matter of when he will be overthrown by his people (please Western powers, no military intervention), but when. Luxury real estate in Riyadh vs a prison cell or worse. Doesn't seem like a difficult call. Especially when his neighbors are pointing at the writing on the wall.
''Just remove yourself from that seat before shedding more blood, before torturing more and for the welfare of your country, as well as the region,'' Mr Erdogan said of Mr Assad in a televised statement at his party meeting in Ankara.
''It is not heroism to fight against your own people,'' he said. ''If you want to see someone who has fought against his own people, look at Nazi Germany, Hitler, Mussolini, Ceausescu of Romania. If you do not learn your lesson from them, look at the Libyan leader who pointed his gun against his own people and, only 32 days ago, got killed in a way that none of us desired, after using the same phrases that you use.''