I believe this argument to be totally overblown. The release of the cables did nothing IMHO to inform the Tunisian people about the corruption of the Ben Ali and his family. I visit Tunisia regularly and have family there. The corruption was widely known throughout the country and spoken about behind closed doors. Ben Ali himself was tolerated but his wife and her family were despised.
You are absolutely correct. Wikileaks published a cable that said (paraphrasing) that the US was unsatisfied with Ben Ali and wouldn't mind if he went. This only helped the Tunisians understand their own government, and what was possible politically.
