TITLE: U.S. DOES NOT REGARD ARAFAT AS TERRORIST (Kyodo News)

Kyodo News Service, Japan (In English) ^ | 2 April 2002 (Japan Time) | Kyodo News Service

[AmericanInTokyo]

Title: "U.S. Does Not Regard Arafat as Terrorist"

Text:

WASHINGTON, April 1 Kyodo - U.S. President George W. Bush said Monday the United States does not regard Yasser Arafat, chairman of the Palestinian Authority, as a terrorist and continues to treat him as a negotiating partner for Middle East peace. (04:46 Japan Time)

[veronica]

PS - I don't notice Bush helping the 'non-terrorist' Arafat get out of his cage in Ramallah. LOL..

[uncbob]

Killing Yassar will signal hundreds of sleeper terror cells that will bring the attacks worldwide and not just against Israel. Jews and Americans all over will be under attack !

Well we are at war and them sleeper cells would make excellent targets once they expose themselves

[RCW2001]

Arafat is happy right where he is at, playing the media and victim, both at the same time. Sharon is dumber than a 'box of rocks'...

[RickyJ]

Are you a Japanese citizen or do you just live and work there?

[veronica]

Arafat is happy right where he is at, playing the media and victim, both at the same time...

Yeah I could tell, the way he hung up in a fury on Christine Amanpour LOL.

Brit Hume had a guest on who explained why Bush said this. Very interesting. :) Try and catch the interview.

[Tom Jefferson]

Arafat is considered to be a good man by some because he is leading a repressed people.

I am curious as to whom you feel is repressing the Palestinians?

If your answer is Arafat, I agree with you.

If your answer is Israel, you are wrong. If the Palestinians would stop attacking Israelis they could have their own state and complete freedom to be (as long as they are peaceful). So if your answer is Israel, please let me know how it is you feel that Israel is repressing the Palestinians. Thank you.

[luvzhottea]

Isn't President Bush GREAT!!!!!!!!!!

Sat, Mar. 30, 2002

UN - including US - votes for Israel to back off
GERALD NADLER
Associated Press Writer


UNITED NATIONS - The United States joined other U.N. Security Council members Saturday in adopting a resolution that calls on Israel to withdraw its troops from Palestinian cities, including Ramallah, where Yasser Arafat's headquarters is under siege.

The 14-0 vote, at 4:30 a.m. EST, capped a marathon emergency session called at the request of the Palestinians. It came a day after Israel declared the Palestinian leader an enemy and, vowing to isolate him, launched an extensive military campaign in response to a series of attacks on Israeli civilians.

It was the second time in a month that the United States, Israel's closest ally, approved a Mideast resolution, after years of abstaining and vetoing Council measures critical of Israel. On March 13, the United States voted with the council to approve a resolution calling for a Palestinian state.

[terilyn]

Thank you! You said what I've been wanting to say all day! At work I can lurk but not post.

I cannot believe that President Bush, wouldn't scream from the rooftops that Arafat is a terrorist, but for a few little problems.

Little problems like our troops spread out all over the world as we speak. We've got men and women putting themselves in harms way in Afghanistan, Pakistan, Georgia, Somolia, Chechnia, The Phillipines, several of the "Stans", Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Quatar, and those are just the ones we know about.

President Bush knows as well as anybody that proclaiming Arafat a terrorist and aligning even more so with Israel, (and he's done that as subtly as he can but unless we're all blind and deaf, it's obvious that he has supported Israel's right to defend herself), those men and women will be in even greater danger than they are right now. Not to mention the rest of the free world.

The difference here is that the Islamic radicals want to die for their cause. Our men and women are willing to but our government doesn't have to hurry it along now do they?

Oh, and let's not forget the sleeper cells that are no doubt already here in the US waiting for an opportunity and an excuse to attack here again.

We all have the freedom to call Arafat a terrorist because we're Americans. President Bush has to consider the safety of the entire free world as the leader of the most powerful country in the world. He doesn't have the freedom to speak his mind as we do. As much as I believe he would like to.

[veronica]

Isn't President Bush GREAT!!!!!!!!!!

The UPI 'take' on this...

Bush Not Ready To Call Arafat A Terrorist (Yet?)

Giving the old terrorist enough rope to hang himself...:)

[veronica]

United States joined other U.N. Security Council members Saturday in adopting a resolution that calls on Israel to withdraw its troops from Palestinian cities, including Ramallah...

But the US did not say WHEN....so far, Israel has had a free hand. You need to learn to 'read' these things better.

[terilyn]

"PS - I don't notice Bush helping the 'non-terrorist' Arafat get out of his cage in Ramallah. LOL.."

You've got that right! And further, for all the mumbling about Bush talking out of both sides of his mouth for the US signing the UN agreement, has anybody bothered to notice that the UN agreement is basically a combination of the Tenent and Mitchell plans that the US has been working on forever it seems?

The suicide bombers stop, Israel pulls out of the occupied territories and borders are enforced with Palestine gaining their own state and Israel left alone finally. Of course the US would sign it, it's their plan. And, it doesn't say, "or else". There is no time frame.

[terilyn]

Rats, I missed Brit's interview. My daughter has the baseball game on. Could you give me a quick play by play? I'd love to hear what was said. Thanks!

[xvb]

Bush won't say Arafat is a terrorist because it would give Sharon license to kill Arafat. I think we want Arafat out but not a martyr. Bush won't call him a terrorist, but won't be in the same room with him either.

[Sclerus]

My answers is Isreal. Though I do not know much about how Arafat governs. Isreal represses Palestinians in many ways. Though it is rather benign compared to other represtions in the world. Simplely speaking with in Isreal Palestinians have fewer rights then Jews. Palestinians need specific papers to work. Jews can carry weapons. And not just handguns, I'm talking Uzi's here. Though I agree that what the PLO is doing is wrong, that does not mean that Isreal is all that just in what they're doing. Though with every suicide bomber I think that Isreal will be more and more justified in their response.

[mamelukesabre]

"Killing Yassar will signal hundreds of sleeper terror cells that will bring the attacks worldwide and not just against Israel. Jews and Americans all over will be under attack !"


In other words, your motives are cowardly. You prefer to let the infection fester out of sight beneath the surface, rather than open it up and clean out so the healing can begin. It would be better to bring all our enemies out of their holes so we can battle all of them once and for all. That is why I say kill the bastard and let's get this dispute settled...permanently!

[Sclerus]

I do not believe killing Arafat right away is a good idea from a strategic or political point of view. If killing Arafat does bring a hail of human claymores upon the western world it would be best to win one war (the one in Afghanistan) before opening a new front or escalating the general 'war on terrorism' to a new level. Also the effect of killing a leading Arab would harm America's relations in the Arab and Islam world (there is a difference). Possibly cutting off supply sourcres and potential allies in any major war in the region. And having a billion muslims angry with you may not be such a good idea even for the worlds hegemon.