Bush warns of consequences if Arafat stays

[TheOtherOne]

CANADA: UPDATE 1-Bush warns of consequences if Arafat stays.
By Adam Entous
 

13:50 ET

Reuters English News Service

(C) Reuters Limited 2002.

KANANASKIS, Alberta, June 26 (Reuters) - U.S. President George W. Bush threatened on Wednesday to cut off money to the Palestinians if they failed to embrace reform, stepping up pressure for the removal of longtime Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat.

"I've got confidence in the Palestinians, when they understand fully what we're saying, that they'll make the right decisions," said Bush. But he warned: "I can assure you, we won't be putting money into a society which is not transparent and corrupt, and I suspect other countries won't either."

The threat came as key U.S. allies meeting in the Canadian Rockies resort of Kananaskis expressed little enthusiasm for Bush's call for replacing the Palestinian president with new leaders "not compromised by terror."

Like Bush, British Prime Minister Tony Blair said he was frustrated with Arafat, who has called elections for January and announced plans to run again.

"We've got to have leadership we can negotiate with that is serious about peace and resists and totally rejects terrorism," Blair said.

But he added: "It's for the Palestinians to elect the people that they choose to elect... So this is not a question of us going in and saying to the Palestinians, 'Look, we're going to run your election.'"

Bush and Blair met one-on-one during the opening day of the annual summit of the Group of Eight nations. The meeting is expected to be dominated by reaction to Bush's blueprint for a Palestinian state and his call for Arafat's removal.

A senior U.S. administration official said Bush believed that Arafat must be removed from power after receiving Israeli intelligence that the Palestinian leader authorized a $20,000 payment to Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades.

The armed group, linked to Arafat's Fatah faction, claimed responsibility for a suicide bombing in Israel last week that killed six people and wounded 35.

The U.S. official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said this was not the sole factor behind Bush's position on Arafat, pointing to earlier evidence such as the Iranian shipment of arms aboard the Karine A ship seized by Israel .

The official called the $20,000 payment "just one more drop in the pond of information" that helped convince Bush to finally give up on Arafat.

TOUGH CONDITIONS

Bush has set tough conditions for his proposed path to provisional Palestinian statehood within 18 months and a final settlement in three years.

In addition to seeking new leadership, Bush has called for sweeping democratic reforms, a constitution and a new security arrangement that Israel can trust.

Asked who would judge whether the Palestinians have fulfilled U.S. demands, Bush said: "The free world. The people who are going to be asked to put up money."

Bush said he would use "diplomatic pressure" to get the Palestinians to reject terrorism, but added: "I'm never ruling out military. All options are available."

"Sometimes we'll use military force, and sometimes we won't," Bush said. "And in the case of the Middle East, obviously, the road map I've laid out is one that calls upon all our friends and allies to join and bind together against terror."

"We all have responsibilities, and in this case the tool I'm using is diplomatic pressure, and to work with our friends and allies to convince all parties they have a responsibility to bear."

[TheOtherOne]

Bush said he would use "diplomatic pressure" to get the Palestinians to reject terrorism, but added: "I'm never ruling out military."

I never thought I would hear the US president say it - I am quite pleased to hear Bush threaten millitary against the Palestinian terrorist.

[TheOtherOne]

Bush warned: "I can assure you, we won't be putting money into a society which is not transparent and corrupt, and I suspect other countries won't either."

[Catspaw]

The next step is to declare Fatah a terrorist organization and Arafat a terrorist. I was very disappointed that Fatah, Tanzim and Arafat were not included when Bush declared al Aqsa Martyr's Brigades as a terrorist organization.

[Coop]

But [Blair] added: "It's for the Palestinians to elect the people that they choose to elect... So this is not a question of us going in and saying to the Palestinians, 'Look, we're going to run your election.'"

You're right, Tony. But despite all the whining, I've yet to hear the President say how to run the elections. He is simply refusing to support and finance a group of people "led" by a terrorist. That's well within his rights.

[Mixer]

Finally a step in the right direction.

[RoughDobermann]

But he warned: "I can assure you, we won't be putting money into a society which is not transparent and corrupt, and I suspect other countries won't either."

Huh?

[tomahawk]

What a great President! If he keeps talking like this, I will become a Bushbot and be happy to be known as such.

[Scott from the Left Coast]

Blair (and every other European fussy limp-wrist) may not understand it but the Palestinians have given up their right to "call their own shots" - they did that when they adopted a policy of mass murder. If other countries have to dictate terms to them, then they can go cry in their turbans. They can either take the dictate from other countries before we use the gun, or after. Their choice.

[hchutch]

Translation: "Yasser, don't try to weasel out of this one. You are toast, pig[BEEP]."

[GraniteStateConservative]

Look for this in the new volume of The Bush Dyslexicon I guess.

[ppaul]

Bush warns of consequences if Arafat stays.

Yeah.
We'll send the PLO $400 million this year instead of $500 million like we have been.
To promote the "peace process", of course.

[anniegetyourgun]

"....Bush threatened on Wednesday to cut off money to the Palestinians..."

[ppaul]

Hell will freeze over first.
Our leaders are patsies for terrorists.

[ppaul]

"....Bush threatened on Wednesday to cut off money to the Palestinians..."

Very Clintonesque of him.
Notice that he did not say how much money.

[Reagan Man]

>>>"I can assure you, we won't be putting money into a society which is not transparent and corrupt, and I suspect other countries won't either."

Okay Mister President, the sooner the better.

Let's roll!

[niki]

Bush said he would use "diplomatic pressure" to get the Palestinians to reject terrorism, but added: "I'm never ruling out military. All options are available."

It is not our battle to fight. Let Israel take out the trash.

[anniegetyourgun]

What part of "cut off" don't you understand?

[avg_freeper]

Huh?

will --- if --- transparent and not corrupt
(ie. easily viewed and all on the up and up.)

won't -- if -- not transparent and is corrupt
(ie. hidden forces doing dishonest things.)

I can see how it might of looked like a bad double negative but it was not.

[traditionalist]

The tittle is horribly misleading. Bush said nothing about Arafat staying or going. His statment makes clear that what he is really demanding is institutional reform of the Palestinian govenment and the consequences of not adopted such reform. That's it.

I suspect that if the Palestinians in a clean and free election, which the US and other Western countries will monitor, elect Arafat, Bush will respect that election result and work with Araft. He was ambiguous enough in his speach to allow enough wiggle room to do that. The comments of Colin Powell today indicate as much.

[ppaul]

...Palestinians in a clean and free election, which the US and other Western countries will monitor...

With Jimmy Carter "monitoring" for the U.S. of course.