Senators say no to Cheney-Arafat

CNN ^ | March 22, 2002 Posted: 10:46 PM EST (0346 GMT) | CNN

[jern]

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- More than half of the U.S. Senate urged Vice President Dick Cheney on Friday not to meet with Yasser Arafat until the Palestinian leader does more to curb the violence in the Middle East.

The letter to President Bush, signed by 52 senators, was made public Friday as more violence ripped through the troubled region.

[NormsRevenge]

52 to 48 ? That means there are a couple WINOs in the senate on this "issue" ... Wobbler in name openly...

HurlAldo made Israel sound like it is resigned to all out war ...

Maybe we could drop fat headed senators and representatives on em .. or better yet, INS officals and agents

[dstog]

Cheney, who recently returned from a tour of the Middle East, has said he would return to the region and meet with Arafat if he believes the Palestinian leader is committed to implementing a cease-fire proposal put forth by CIA Director George Tenet.

Hmmm, let's see. Arafat didn't implement Tenet's plan before, when he was in communications on a more friendly basis with us. Why believe him now?

[Howlin]

I have NO doubt Mr. Edwards' name is on that letter.

[Ciexyz]

Mr. Cheney, say NO to terrorism. Don't dignify that murderous bas**** with a face to face meeting. Not unless he shows a solid commitment to peace.

[Hila]

That despicable character has not and will not meet the conditions necessary for a meeting with anyone decent. His only commitment is to hatred, murder and deception, when will our leaders "get it". Or is this the way politics go, just on and on making believe that the tiger has no stipes.

[pgkdan]

I don't know who the 52 Senators are , but whoever they are, they are right!

[montag813]

52 to 48 ? That means there are a couple WINOs in the senate on this "issue"

This wasn't a "vote" per se.

[Libertina]

Why believe him now?
Fool me once, shame on you
Fool me twice, shame on me (Big stupid dope syndrome)

[dogbyte12]

from CNN ...

Senators who signed the letter included Democrats Dianne Feinstein of California, Joseph Lieberman of Connecticut, Bob Graham of Florida, John Breaux of Louisiana, and Chuck Schumer and Hillary Clinton of New York. Majority Leader Tom Daschle also signed it.

Republican signatories included Richard Shelby of Alabama, Kay Bailey Hutchison of Texas, Frank Murkowski of Alaska, Susan Collins of Maine, Arlen Specter of Pennsylvania, and George Allen and John Warner of Virginia.

[JimSEA]

The way I read this is that the Senators are making a grab for foreign relations power in order to embarass Bush. This is part in parcel with the demand for Ridge to testify. Now, the next time the terrorists strike in this country, and I am very much afraid they will, let's see if the congress accepts a share of responsibility or if they point fingers and scramble for political survival. I fully believe the drum beat will be to get rid of Bush since he can't protect us (Byrd and Hollings first up to speak followed by Dashle).

[StriperSniper]

May I edit please?

Not unless he shows throws a solid commitment right hook to peace Arafat's jaw.

I like that better. ;-)

[Tom Thomson]

Simply astounding that there are people with grey matter between their ears supporting a Cheney-Arafat meeting. Who are the 48 opposing the resolution? When will this madness end? Arafat is not part of the solution... he IS the problem! I get sick to my stomach everytime I hear Bush, Powell, etc, say, "He needs to do more to stop terrorism" What part of "Arafat is the head terrorist" don't they understand.

[T. Jefferson]

Clinton met with Arafat more than the CIA director, and all these Senators welcomed it with open arms.

[Torie]

It seems like political posturing is the main recreational activity in the Senate these days. This shoot from the hip letter is particularly pathetic, and I am not an Arafat or Palestinian symp (in fact less so all the time). I think that place (the Senate) is close to a nadir point in my lifetime. The number of senators I truly admire is really quite low (not that I know them all). And that is sad.

[PhilDragoo]

General Zinni is trying to determine whether or not (Arafat) is going to do what he said he would do

Obviously Zinni can't find his ass(igned target) with GPS, AWACS, a Seeing Eye dog, sonar, radar, FLIR, magnetometers, a geologic survey, a pack of bloodhounds, one hundred search engines slaved to a supercomputer, Inspector Clouseau, Hercule Poirot and Matt Drudge's Rolodex.

Okay, one more time:

Air-uh-fat is a terr-or-ist.

Two:

You (not me, but you)
should (not would or could)
put (not take but put)
a hand (not foot but hand)
grenade (not pomade, lemonade, Gatoradetm)
in his mouth (not his empty headquarters)
pull the pin and run (not walk)

Should you choose to accept this mission you will graduate from Moron.

Questions? Comments? Call 1-800-NO-FATAH--NO-MUDDAH--HEREYAGO--A-HAND-GRENADA

[Howlin]

He didn't have a daily CIA briefing, you know; he said it was too boring. Go figure.

[Kermit]

This is unbelievable, you have a majority of the whining, wimping, wussy Senate to the right of the Compassionate Conservative. That really shows how bad Bush's cave in to Palestinian Terror really is, if that group opposes him.

[TheOtherOne]

Some days the Senate actually makes me proud.

[Tom Thomson]

Hey, I like your serious humor. I got a good laugh out of it... thanks, I needed it. Israel needs to realize they cannot play to world opinion any longer. Stop bombing empty buildings and go for the kill. If the USA would quit meddling and let the Israelis clean house, it would all be over in a month. And, Israel should tell the world where they can put their opinion.