[kesg]

Does anyone know why Bush would do such a thing? I certainly don't see how it helps any peace process to grant such a waiver. What am I missing?

[Howlin]

Well, we wouldn't want them to have a place we could contact them to talk about peace, would we?

[whadizit]

Hmmmm...I thought those offices were closed about a yr. ago.

[wardaddy]

It is verboten to question.

[chachacha]

Well George there you go again trying to pick friends.

Someone needs to get this GW a play mate.

Remember GW looking into Putins soul and his Mexican friend and neighbor FOX?

He played in the sand box with them and they both kicked his butt like the neighborhood bully.

Will someone please stop this guy from picking his own friends?

[mewzilla]

They've seen the stick. This must be the carrot. Let's hope they take it. If not, the stick is ready and waiting...

[ZAKJAN]

This is a tuff one for sure...Seems to me we don't want to impose sanctions on the WHINERS that are still moaning about the Free IRAQ!! Too bad the majority of them did not join Saddam so we could have taken care of two birds with one stone.
Seriously, i think the 6 months is just to try to let the dust settle before we stir up mud again.
I think a Coalition of the willing needs to go into these "Occupied Terror tories" and round up Hamas, Hisbulloh, Islamic Jihad, Alaqusa Martrys Brigade..don't you all?

[Bella_Bru]

I just hope he doesn't try to continue that BS about a "Palestinian state", unless he is talking about Jordan.

[Bobby777]

the PLO is an Islamic Terrorist organization ... the "keep your enemies closer" crowd should think about opening an office for Osama bin Laden and Al Quaeda in Washington, D.C., then ... makes as much sense ... [/sarcasm]

throw out the PLO, now!

[goldstategop]

I regret this waiver. It sends a wrong message about terrorism. Shame on President Bush.

[Light Speed]

Arutz Sheva

Still No Reforms in the PA

It's been a year already that Israeli officials - followed shortly after by others in the U.S. and even in the PA - have been talking about the need for reforms in the Palestinian Authority leadership, and there is still no new government. Yasser Arafat has rejected a new Cabinet proposed by his own Prime Ministerial appointee, Abu Mazen.

Abu Mazen presented his list of ministers at a Fatah Central Committee meeting on Sunday night in Ramallah, but Arafat refused to accept it. The PLO chairman, known to many as the father of modern-day terrorism, objected to the placement of so many of his political enemies in high positions. Most notably, Muhammad Dahlan was promoted to a newly formed post giving him most of the powers of an Interior Minister, while Arafat-supporters such as Saeb Erekat, Yasser Abed Rabbo and others were relegated to lower-lever roles. Erekat and Abed Rabbo are not even certain to accept their appointments.

In addition, appointees Hikmat Zayad and Saad Al-Karones have elicited objections because of their reputation for corruption. Arutz-7's Yosef Zalmanson notes that Nabil Amar, appointed by Abu Mazen as Information Minister, was one of the very first within the PA to call for a change; he resigned his post last May when Arafat rejected his demand for "deep reforms" in the Cabinet and the PA's security organs.

U.S. President George Bush has said that he would publicize the Road Map plan - calling for a temporary PA state as early as this year - as soon as Abu Mazen announces his new government. Israel has submitted a list of 14 or 15 "reservations" against the Road Map, but American spokesmen have said that they will be considered only after the plan is publicized.

[ApesForEvolution]

So much for the War on (some) Terror...

[cgbg]

Why allow the PLO office to remain open?

I read a fascinating article this morning that could explain what W is up to with this.

This is not on-line but I will give you key quotes.

Strategic Decision To Give Up Baghdad

Carol Rosenberg

Knight Ritter Newspapers

"Iraqi field commanders were surprised April 8..by orders to withdraw (from Baghdad) and return to their bases north of the city...

The commanders withdrew as instructed. Once they reached their bases they were told to go home....

Major Salah Abdullah Mahdi al Jabouri, a 17 year army veteran, described the order as a personal tragedy...I stayed inside my bedroom for five days, in shock."

Maybe this was the "shock" part of the "shock and awe" strategy. ;-)

This looks like _we_ became the command and control over Baghdad military units, presumably first by intercepting their military commnications, then analyzing them and later destroying their command and control and "spoofing" them with our own.

So, back to the PLO. If they communicate we moniior. Then we analyze. Then, at the right time, we would have the opportunity to subvert their operations with false orders.

imho

:-)

[yonif]

Under the Foreign Relations Act of 2003, PLO non-compliance with signed peace accords and continued use of terror and violence would force the president to impose at least one of a menu of sanctions unless he invokes a waiver contained in the law.

Apr. 17 2003 Article