(8:00) Zinni: PA is a mafia and Arafat is its leader

Jpost ^ | 27/1/02

[IcommGen]

(8:00) Zinni: PA is a mafia and Arafat is its leader

The Palestinian Authority is a mafia, and PA Chairman Yasser Arafat is the leader of the mafia, US special envoy Anthony Zinni said today.

Zinni made his remarks after his planned visit to the region was suspended by US President George W. Bush.

Sources in the prime minister's bureau expressed satisfaction with the decision, saying it will help in the war against terrorism. However, diplomatic sources said it could lead to more bloodletting on both sides.

The US administration threatened over the weekend to impose sanctions against Arafat, from closing the PLO's offices in Washington to totally cutting off relations, if he fails to prove he is making a concerted effort to fight terrorism.

Meanwhile, security forces remain on high alert throughout the country in response to intelligence warnings of planned terrorist attacks.

Police are out in force, especially along the Green Line, Tel Aviv, and Jerusalem.

Late last night, Palestinian terrorists lightly wounded an Israeli Arab taxi driver in a shooting attack between Peduel and Alei Zahav in Samaria, Army Radio reported.

[SJackson]

You mean in Florida, after all the greedy geezers die off? OK, maybe Penn too, and conceivably Michigan if the Arabs don't get too mad at the GOP. That is about it.

Fortunately Torie you're not too involved in Republican politics. If you were you would know more about the demographic changes in younger voters. The changes aren't about the waiting for the death of the greedy Jewish geezers.

Torie, that's a strange comment, why would you describe elderly Jews as greedy geezers?

[Torie]

Torie, that's a strange comment, why would you describe elderly Jews as greedy

Because in Florida they vote that way. I think I'm pretty knowledgable about psephology (actually very knowledgable), and stand by each and every comment I have made on FR on that topic. I don't see any evidence in the last election re younger Jewish voters in Florida moving to the GOP (Bush sucked wind in some of the younger Jewish more inland precincts in Florida (Broward and Palm Beach) as well), but that may be due to the Lieberman factor. The GOP underperformed rather significantly in Broward and Palm Beach counties, indeed well below its registration percentages. Cheers.

[Torie]

Any comments? Please be decorous. :)

[Sabramerican]

Upstate is Republican. Downstate (NYC) has to be overwhelmingly Democrat for a Democrat to carry. D'Amatto and Pataki are examples of what happens when just enough Jews vote Republican downstate. Rudy and Bloomberg show that even NYC is in play.

It comes down as a microcosm but NYC Jews can make a Presidential election. They can't elect a President, but they can defeat the Democrat- which assures the Republican.

[Torie]

You surely are not suggesting that NY will not continue to have a Dem bias (and a significant one) vis a vis the nation are you, at least for our lifetimes? That dog won't hunt.

[Sabramerican]

You can't take and generalize Jewish patterns from the last election because of Lieberman and because Jews were weary of G W Bush due to his father.

[kezekiel]

The political bonus to Republicans is that if Bush doesn't deviate, he may cause an earthshaking shift in the voting pattern of American Jews. And when Jews start voting Republican, and they will, it will demolish the Democrats and spell the end of the agenda of the Left.

Not so for those thoroughly secularized Jews who are sold out to the left, for whom politics transcends blood and nationhood.

[Sabramerican]

I'm saying that NY is in play. With Jewish support it can be carried by the Republican. If a Republican carries NY, a Republican is President. Period.

[Scott from the Left Coast]

The US administration threatened over the weekend to impose sanctions against Arafat, from closing the PLO's offices in Washington to totally cutting off relations, if he fails to prove he is making a concerted effort to fight terrorism.

Pretty lame "consequences" for being a "mafia". How about an open "go ahead" to Israel to clean the viper's nest out once and for all? Give Arafat and his minions 10 minutes grace to say their prayers before sending them all to burn in hell for eternity.

[Torie]

True. But those precints go reliably Dem in every election, albeit not so much as they did for Gore. I suspect that maybe 85% of the Jews (maybe 90%) went for Gore in Palm Beach and Broward, when 80% would have been more typical, and maybe 70% if the GOP candidate is attractive to them.

[Torie]

If a Republican carries NY, a Republican is President. Period.

That is an ineluctibly true statement. And if the GOP loses Idaho, it is in deep trouble.

[LarryLied]

As you know, I live in Palm Beach County. Yes, greed is unbelievable here. Restaurants near Century Village (Cemetary Village) do drills when the condo critters arrive in their buses. Everything not nailed down is removed from the table. No salt and pepper shakers, no ketchup bottles, I think they count the knives and forks after the crowd leaves. Others restaurants have banned anyone from those communities.

On a more upscale level, we have gated communities such as Admiral's Landings where the homes begin at $500,000. The residents there would not dream of stealing from restaurants. What they want, instead, is for those who work in their kitchens to buy them prescription drugs.

[Sabramerican]

As you say those were old Jews with old memories. Jews tend to have long memories...and loyalties to friends. Gore's father was a long time friend to Jewish interests, Gore (prior to his selling his soul to the Clintons) also had a good record. The opposite was true for Bush.

There are no current Democrats (ignore Lieberman) who carry such warm feeling from the Jewish community.

As I wrote above, G W Bush staying on course can rewrite the book. Jews can and will shift right. That will leave the Democrats even more radicalized and insignificant. It could be a sea change in American politics.

[Ditto]

Bingo. Arafat is a thug who otherwise would be sticking up gas stations. His 'leadearship' has been a scam from the start --- first bankrolled by the KGB, then the corrupt Sultans in the Gulf as a extortion money, and finally after Arafat chose wrong in 91, from our tax dollars via the Oslo charade.

For all those who shed alligator tears for the Plaestinians, consider that Arafat is the prime culpurt. Peace could have been had decades ago, but then Yassar would have had to find a real job.

[Sabramerican]

Except that if we are at a situation where a Republican is in position to win NY, such Republican is not at a place where traditional Republican voting is in danger.

[Cachelot]

I just don't like them masquerading as conservatives on FR in the Amen Corner.

Spoken as a true Koran Klan Korner boy ;). Stealthy, today is a glorious day. The cockroaches of stealth in the SD are being force-fed sanity like ducks in a foie-gras setup. You think they'll burst or get better?

[CyberAnt]

You don't sound like you are on Israel's side? Are you? I most surely am. I believe Sharon was needed at this time. Whether he will continue is for Israel to determine. I prefer Benjamin Netanyahu myself - but what's more important, I understand Israel's place in the Bible prophecies. Isaiah 17:1 is a very powerful statement and indicates Israel is not going to stand for her people being entirely destroyed. Israel will defend herself and I certainly hope my President will do whatever it takes to help with that defense.

[My Favorite Headache]

Can we just call Arafat "Morrie" from Goodfellas? He is getting in the car to get danish for Belle right now wouldn't ya say?