The fire spread so fast that by the time Arab leaders understood what it would consume, it was beyond anyone’s control, and in more than one country. The overthrown Tunisian dictator must now regret that his security forces did not arrest Bouazizi and lock him up, rather than allow his public self-immolation.
但历史将记住这一天，2010年12月17日，博阿兹兹手中的火柴无意中成为了点燃阿拉伯革命之火的火种。这场大火蔓延的如此迅速，以至于当阿拉伯领袖们意识到其严重性时已无法控制，并延烧到各国。被罢黜的突尼斯独裁者如今肯定很后悔当初自己的安全部门为何没把博阿兹兹关起来，而是任其公开自焚。