Arafat: I'm willing to sacrifice 70 to die to kill one Israeli

Independent Media Review & Analysis ^ | Date: 18 December 2001 | Aaron Lerner

[the_second_moon]

Israel Radio West Bank correspondent Avi Yissakharov reported this evening that Yasser Arafat declared in a fiery speech in Ramallah today that "all Palestinians are Muhammad al-Dura", that all Palestinians are martyrs. 12-year-old Muhammad al-Dura was killed in the Gaza Strip last year while his father tried to protect him from crossfire. Arafat called for all to join in the struggle to stop what he termed the Israeli program to Judaize Jerusalem. The crowd roared back to Arafat "millions of martyrs are already marching to Jerusalem." Israel Television Channel Two reported this evening that Arafat also told the crowd that "I am willing to sacrifice 70 martyrs to kill one Israeli" and called for a continuation of the struggle against Israel.

[alpowolf]

Sounds to me like Arafat is using hyperbole and jingoism to build up his sagging approval ratings with the Palestinians

Looks like the Palestinians don't see it that way, since they are acting on his rhetoric. Real people are dying. Why don't people like you ever consider the consequences of your actions?

Sounds to me like the same kind of rhetoric you've been spouting

Not even close. I'm telling you to think about the people you're lecturing to. I'm telling you to think about the consequences of the use of force, something you refuse to do. Quite the opposite of the man telling mothers to send their children to the front lines.

The Israelis once held the moral high ground. Right now they are in a bind to claim evens

On the contrary, they made an honest effort to hold up their end of the Oslo accords (to a point bordering on suicide). Arafat & Co. rewarded them with war.

[alpowolf]

Actually I'm a libertarian.

We covered that in right wing fruitcake; try to keep up

So, in addition to knowing nothing about people in the real world, and knowing nothing about psychiatry, you also know nothing about libertarians. You're really on a roll.

[BlueLancer]

Thank you very much ... I always try to start the day with tacky AND trite; it leaves me with nowhere to go but up from there.

Personally, I hope that Arafat is willing to sacrifice 70 to kill one ... because I don't believe that he will be able to maintain even that rate of exchange for long.

He wants his people to be martyrs ... I want them dead. A match made in heaven. Everybody's happy and everybody gets what they want.

[Texaggie79]

Are you planning on getting together with Arafat over the holidays? You 2 seem to be close friends.

[harrowup]

You should have passed on the libertarian angle...of course in your case I meant the brain-fried part.

You don't know a damn thing about me and you keep telling me what I am thinking or not knowing. Spend some time considering your rhetoric and we'll get along just fine...I am better at this than you are...it is the curse of the liberal to be brighter and kinder than common folk.

[harrowup]

Moral relativism has no hold on my philosophy. Terrorists are thugs. So are drug dealers and the mafia. That doesn't stop network TV and HBO from glamorizing them. Arafat is a thug...and what Sharon did in Lebanon makes him a thug. Begin on the other hand was a patriot to the Jews and a thug to the British. The fact that some people in this region have received the Nobel Peace Prize says more about the Nobel Committee than it does the person. There are no Mother Theresas in the ME.

The point I have been trying to make here, in spite of the kneejerk responses from the ribbon counter jumpers is simple.

Hyping the situation with inflammatory rhetoric and reiteration of senseless lies and boogey men, from both sides is no way to solve the chronic disease. Patience and understanding and listening. Are some folks going to die still. Yes, unfortunately...but in case you haven't noticed they already are.

Are we in the States going to take another hit or two or three before this is over? Yes...but it won't be because the Israelis and Palestinians can't settle a long standing dispute. It will be because we sit very high on the enviable list. We could just as well back the Palestinians on every issue and we would still be a target...from the radicals on both sides.

The radicals on this board seem to think they own the place. They don't as far as I'm concerned. Any jackass that thinks I support Arafat must be brain-dead. I try to support the truth and common sense. The only wild words I like to throw are directed at silly little twits that have an answer for everything as long as it is theirs.

[harrowup]

Thank you; I just discovered what may have happened. Earlier when typing in multiple names I misspelled one name and a warning came up that the post would not process. I suspect it was some other color than black and should have alerted me the first time...but I'm colorblind and it just didn't jump out at me. I have now changed the background on my monitor to overcome that problem. Thank you for your diligence.

I get your point about the source of the false title. My beef with them is that they are not available for attribution.

[beowolf]

Geeze...always with the excuses!! Happy Holidays to you, old friend!-)

[harrowup]

Merry NoMaas, Happy Cha nuke uh, Krackin Kwanzuh, fatted fit and a properous and kinder New Year. SaaaaaaLoon

[alpowolf]

You don't know a damn thing about me and you keep telling me what I am thinking or not knowing. Spend some time considering your rhetoric and we'll get along just fine...I am better at this than you are...it is the curse of the liberal to be brighter and kinder than common folk

Ah, of course. But you know all about me.

Good of you to parade your arrogance for everyone to see. Too bad that you have nothing to back it up with. We "common folk" are the ones who end up shouldering the burdens that you "enlightened folk" seek to impose. All I have asked you for is consideration of those you presume to dictate to.

[harrowup]

Thread resurrection is so plebian.

[alpowolf]

Yep, I'm a pleb. Thank you, your majesty, for deigning to address one of your subjects.

BTW I forgot to mention: comparing libertarians to right-wingers doesn't bother me too much. But you've probably noticed that they lump me in with you. A stupid argument either way.

[harrowup]

I get along pretty well with most libertarians who don't choose to label everyone as a statist just because they desire government to be pro-active.

[alpowolf]

In my case, it depends on what you want government to be pro-active on, and to what extent. I think some people (both conservatives and liberals) do qualify as statists because they do not believe in any limit to government power.

I diverge from the Libertarian Party on defense and foreign policy issues. I (and many other libertarians) think they go too far. I, like the LP, think we intervened too much during the Clinton years--and during the Reagan years. But we do have to be prepared to project power when a real need does arise. I'm not sure we would have the necessary power if the LP were running things.

[harrowup]

We are closer than you think. The best defense is a quick offense...and for once I'm right. I've done my bit and am not ashamed of asking others to risk their lives to defend our freedom. I would really like to bring back the draft just to teach some manners to the modern generation. I am not popular among the Leftist Liberals.

[F.J. Mitchell]

We already knew that Mr Arabfat was willing to sacrifice 70 dummies or even a thousand, for whatever reason his hate , spite and sh*t filled cranium cavity that passes for his brain, deems to serve Mr. Arabfat's self interests. What would make news is Arabfat sacrificing a smidgen of his life of luxery, much less his worthless self, for any cause whatsoever.

Yassa, Arabfat is definately a Judas goat.

[F.J. Mitchell]

We already knew that Mr Arabfat was willing to sacrifice 70 dummies or even a thousand, for whatever reason his hate , spite and sh*t filled cranium cavity that passes for his brain, deems to serve Mr. Arabfat's self interests. What would make news is Arabfat sacrificing a smidgen of his life of luxery, much less his worthless self, for any cause whatsoever.

Yassa, Arabfat is definately a Judas goat.

[UCANSEE2]

"I am willing to sacrifice 70 martyrs to kill one Israeli"

Anyone that says that deserves to be the only one to die, and to die 70 times.

A REAL MAN would state,"I am willing to die to save 70 lives!"

[F.J. Mitchell]

A big BUMP! for # 359.