Bush "War On Terrorism" Now a Big Joke: "Arafat Is Not A Terrorist" (Japanese News Report Breaking)

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

[AmericanInTokyo]

Breaking. Japanese headling says "USA Government Does Not Consider Arafat a Terorrist"

Briefly attributes the stated policy to a 'high-level press spokesman' in the Bush Administration. (Probably Fleischer).

Short dispatch in Japanese just now. Breaking fast.

[mewzilla]

The only problem with this negotiation thing (aside from the moral quandry) is that I'm not sure that this is about the Palestinians. I'm beginnning to wonder if it's more about keeping us from expanding the war on terror.

[Miss Marple]

They DID agree to Tenet and Mitchell. That is the whole point. They are not living up to their part of the bargain. That is why the President keeps talking about it, and saying this is what Arafat needs to do.

Consistently, Bush gives people several oppportunities to do the right thing, before he brings the hammer down. Ask the Taliban about this. They were given multiple choices to disassociate themselves from OBL and al Qaeda, while lots of people here were griping about too much talk.

Bush specifically made the point in his speech on September 20 that 1. We were going after worldwide terrorists and 2. Nations which harbored terrorists had the opportunity to straighten up and kick terrorists out. Some countries, like Yemen, got the message. Some leaders, like Arafat, remain clueless.

So, while saying that Arafat has agreed to these conditions (which were made pre-9/11) and should move forward with the agreements, we also have the option to completely withdraw support if we can obtain proof of terrorist activity AFTER 9/11 and it can be directly linked to Arafat.

I see no problem with this, as it gives Israel time to call up her reserves, gets us time to put people in place in the area, and also gives us time to let the Arabs leaders lean on Arafat (if you will notice, they were very unenthusiastic about offering more than verbal support).

[CAbornAmerasianinDC]

I agree in a sense that WWIII started on that dreadful day, but the all out war has yet to begin.

In addition to restraining the Issraelis from harsh response to Pali terror attacks, another key thing our gov't. has done is to identify a need to oust Saddam. He's the one Arab leader with a sizeable military and WEAPONS of MASS DESTRUCTION. He's shown that he's willing to use them and has even shown that he sees the big picture. During Desert Storm he tried endlessly to involve the Israelis in the hostilities. We all know why the US held them back, to keep the coalition(incl. Arab members) together.

It's obvious we would like to avoid hostilities, and if it means doing a little bit of preventive maintenance(ousting Saddam) but in the meantime suffering a bit(Israelis deaths) to reach an overall better outcome I'm all for it. I'll take the lesser of two evils any day...

[mewzilla]

Thanks for the post. I thought I saw a crawl on one of the cable news nets saying that Sharon disputed this. In any case, the PLO has certainly abrogated the agreements. Which begs the question of why anyone would think negotiating with Arafat would work any better with him than it did with Hitler.

And as for that much vaunted (at least by the media) Saudi plan, I notice the media didn't add that the Arab states refused to put anything in writing.

[DoughtyOne]

To: DoughtyOne; AmericaninTokyo

Fair enough. And we'll nominate you for the most moronic. The President stood there in fear of offending someone, and simply refused to say, "Yes he is a
terorist." Kindof makes you want to hugg the guy doesn't it. If this is your idea of walking tall, nuff said.

Whatever D1, you sit on your soapbox and be an armchair quaterback, ignore everything else. I'm not ignoring anything.  Even the stupidist of people know not to put their hand back on the stove after getting burned once.  Arasplat has been burning our Presidents for the last ten, twenty, thirty, you make the call... years.  Just prior to and during Bush's presidency Arasplat has cast every offer made to him, to the wind.  He's overseen twenty-five bombings since January 25th.  He has overseen something like 80 deaths and between 400 and 500 injuries, it's hard to keep up with the growing totals.  In the shaddow of these actions, Bush can't even label Arasplat a terrorist.  He could make the case and bolster our ally's position.  No that wouldn't be prudent.

BTW, what is even more ironic about this thread is your amazing 360 on Arafat, At least you got one thing right, in that I am supporting exactly what I always have, full support of Israel (I believe 180 degrees is the insult you were desparately searching for.)  But then you know I've never supported Arasplat. Doughty, since the person you voted for and proudly proclaimed on FR and even held a fund raiser for, Pat Buchanan, is probably seething at the "terrorism"(my terminology of Pat from his previous writings) being perpetrated by Sharon and the Israelis.  Once again, rather than deal with reality in the present, you've chosen to go off topic since it's impossible to defend the indefensible. Buchanan supported a reduction in the billions of dollars we give Israel, Egypt and a lot of other nations.  That's a resounding endorsement for Arafat hugh.  In the last several months Buchanan has been asked what he thought of the Israelis actions.  Now here's something you'll enjoy.  He stated that Israel has every right to defend itself and continued by condemning the acts of the Palestinians and Yasser Arasplat.  Contrast that to the guy that can only remind Israel to pursue peace at all cost and "think about the ramifications."

Your "daily" politcal core is showing, IMHO.  I hope so.

96 posted on 4/1/02 11:35 AM Pacific by Dane

[CAbornAmerasianinDC]

The democRATS were wrong in their ASSumption. Please don't associate my opinions with theirs(yuck).

Now consider the difference, the Talibanis(???) are not the Pali's. The Pali's have been constantly supported against the Israelis. The reason I believe the Arab/Muslim world would rally against Israel/US because of the religious ramifications.

You must agree that that is the root of the problem in that area(West Bank/Gaza). The religious significance of the dispiuted lands.

So you can't compare our actions in Afghanistan and proposed military support of Israel.

[DoughtyOne]

Good comments. I am continually amazed at Bush sporter's inability to address reality head on. Body parts flying in every direction in Israel, our President too timid to call the man behind them a terrorist. Disgusting!

[DoughtyOne]

Oh what a twisted web we weave...

[BenR2]

Take a look at reply #31, even some in the present coalition Israeli govt. don't want Arafat to be named a "terrorist".

Okay. Let me get this straight: President Bush should allow his foreign policy to be shaped by a few disloyal and radical left-wingers in Sharon's cabinet -- rather than by America's (and Israel's) security needs?

Sorry, but your post is absolutely devoid of any logic.

[AmericanInTokyo]

Japan Time (early a.m. from April 2nd) and corresponding East Coast time for the previous day (late a.m. April 1st) all reported correctly. It would appear Bush had a news conference and some time before that his spokespeople either had a conference or offered their observation that the US does not consider or see Arafat as a Terrorist, some time before that).

[BenR2]

Personally I would trust Bush, Chenny, Condileeza Rice, Powell, Rumsfeld on foreign policy more than I would some ex-Patriot American living in Japan.

That's right: One's physical location determines his reliability and intellectual ability.

May I recommend you take Logic 101 at your nearest community college?

Then take some World History and learn how many great minds have lived in exile from their home country!

[L`enn]

The War on Terrorism was a joke, the first time we urged "restraint, and the first time we sent in Zinni to negotiate with these monkeys. It is a joke when we refuse to racial profile. It is a joke when we do not deport en masse. Nothing new here.

[crystalk]

Please tell me this whole thread is an april fool.

[GraniteStateConservative]

We are only at war against international terrorists-- not those in Northern Ireland, Israel, etc. If Arafat attacks the U. S., then he'll join the Axis of Evil club, too.

[SJackson]

And because of that combination of Chairman Arafat's ability to influence events on the ground, and the President's stated goals of creating a Palestinian state and easing the plight of the Palestinian people, that Chairman Arafat can take action in accordance with agreements that he has made. And that's not the case with al Qaeda.

It's clear to me that Arafat can rachet up the violence, I'm not sure he can rachet it down.

However it would seem to me that Mullah Omar, and all the Taliban, would qualify for the Arafat exception.

[AmericanInTokyo]

Yes. The times are correct as I write them. It is worth noting that the two articles are referencing a Policy Statement made by a high level assistant to President Bush. It is not referring to the comments Bush apparantly had that started after that, sometime around 11:15 a.m. Eastern Time as one poster observed. This is my point. Either this is or is not Administration Policy. Either Bush's Administration "Views" or "Sees" Arafat as a terrorist, in which case the person who made the comment to Kyodo should be fired. Or, the Bush Administration does NOT "View" or "See" Arafat as a terrorist, in which case the reporters and the person they interviewed were correct, but then the Administration has some big questions to answer as to why they do not consider the leader of PLO a terrorist.

[Dane]

In the last several months Buchanan has been asked what he thought of the Israelis actions. Now here's something you'll enjoy. He stated that Israel has every right to defend itself and continued by condemning the acts of the Palestinians and Yasser Arasplat.

Wow it looks like Pat is following Bush's lead.

That probably burns you up.

Btw, show me the quote where Bush says that Israel should not defend itself