Ammar Retires

Before he was deposed, Ben Ali reportedly wanted the Tunisian military to fire on the protestors, but General Rashid Ammar refused.  Ammar is now retiring:

The Chief of Staff of the Tunisian armed forces, Rachid Ammar, announced yesterday on Tunisian television that he submitted a retirement request to the president on Saturday. President Moncef Marzouki accepted the request.

“I decided to leave the service because of the age limit,” he said during an interview on the Ettisaa Mesaa (9 pm) program on the Ettounsiya television station. He is 67 years old, according to AFP.

“I have gotten older and exceeded the retirement age,” he added. “I did not resign, because resignation is an escape from hardships. I just want to leave the service to spend more time with my family.” 

Ammar also asserted that he had been offered the post of president after the revolution. “On January 15, 2011, I was called to become the president, but I refused for the sake of my country,” he said.

Journalist Safi Said suggested on radio station Shems FM that Ammar’s departure from the military could be the beginning of a political career.

The Chief of Staff of the Tunisian armed forces, Rachid Ammar, announced yesterday on Tunisian television that he submitted a retirement request to the president on Saturday. President Moncef Marzouki accepted the request. - See more at: http://www.tunisia-live.net/2013/06/25/tunisian-militarys-chief-of-staff-retires/#sthash.7DTaxTaV.dpu

The Chief of Staff of the Tunisian armed forces, Rachid Ammar, announced yesterday on Tunisian television that he submitted a retirement request to the president on Saturday. President Moncef Marzouki accepted the request. - See more at: http://www.tunisia-live.net/2013/06/25/tunisian-militarys-chief-of-staff-retires/#sthash.7DTaxTaV.dpuf

The Chief of Staff of the Tunisian armed forces, Rachid Ammar, announced yesterday on Tunisian television that he submitted a retirement request to the president on Saturday. President Moncef Marzouki accepted the request. - See more at: http://www.tunisia-live.net/2013/06/25/tunisian-militarys-chief-of-staff-retires/#sthash.7DTaxTaV.dpuf