Chairman Arafat renounced terror as an instrument of his cause, and he agreed to control it. He’s not done so. The situation in which he finds himself today is largely of his own making. He’s missed his opportunities and thereby betrayed the hopes of the people he is supposed to lead.
Given his failure, ...
Damn it, George, just say it!!!
"Arafat is a terrorist"!!!
I don't have any real problems with Bush's speech, except for this one line. The statement is patently false: No number of suicide bombings will ever "blow up the hope for a Palestinian state." Taking Palestinian statehood off the table would be seen as punishing the Palestinian people for the crimes of their unelected leaders, something the "enlightened" world will never countenance.
The PLO could send ten suicide bombers a day into Israeli preschools, and the world would call on both sides to "show restraint." The PLO could set off a nuclear device in Tel Aviv, and the world would call on both sides to "end the cycle of violence." The PLO could release smallpox in Israel and kill three million Jews, and the world would say the time had come to "address the legitimate desire of the Palestinian people for security and dignity." The PLO will never, under any circumstances, end its terrorism, because it has absolutely no incentive to do so. Bombings do nothing to hurt its cause and everything to aid it.
The only path to peace is to eliminate entirely the PLO, with as little harm to Palestinian civilians as possible. Bush can "expect results" all he wants, but he had damn well better have a response planned for the next time a Palestinian decides to claim the $5,000 bounty our loyal Saudi ally places on the lives of Jewish children. I know Bush isn't amoral or an idiot, so for the time being I'll take it on faith that he has such a plan. It would sure be nice to be given a little hint about what that plan might be, however.
And...
I speak as a committed friend of Israel; I speak out of a concern for its long-term security, the security that will come with a genuine peace.
"No peace" is a good phrase to plug into a KJV search.
Failing modification of the "koran", the alternative is removal of islam, like smallpox, from the face of the earth.
Remember, islam is out to kill ALL non-islamics, not just jews! On the other hand, maybe I merely imagined 9/11....
1) It is made clear that, although Arafat will be given a genuine chance to do the right thing, it is apt to be his last.
2) Powell goes to Europe before going to the Middle East and obtains firm face-to-face commitments from those hand-wring, rifle-dropping, hypocritical m___-f___ers that, when it comes time to put the screws to Arafat and force him to act, and hold him accountable if/when he does not (and we all know it will come to that), THEY WILL NOT STAB US IN THE BACK and let Arafat off the hook like they did the last time, and the time before that, and the time before that...
This will only work if the Western World is united, and it must be made clear that anyone who breaks rank will pay a severe price (e.g. be publicly nominated and pressed to provide peace-keeping troops in the West Bank).
GOOD JOB!!!
YOU TELL 'EM GEORGE, WE WANT RESULTS!!!!!
"As Israel steps back, responsible Palestinian leaders and Israel’s Arab neighbors must step forward and show the world that they are truly on the side of peace."
I notice that Bush first lays out that Arafat didn't do anything about terror, and does not mention him in any future dealings with the Palestinians. Is this the green light to rid us of this thug?