Gotta disagree with you here. The more restraint we show toward Arafat in the near term, who happens to be the darling of the Saudi's and Iran, the more points we build up because Arafat hasn't done anything to the US. So we've publically slapped Sharon on the wrist, while we build up our arsenal to go after Saddam. Down the road, we'll give Sharon the wink-wink to take out Arafat (probably after getting all the intel after toppling Saddam).
We need to take out Saddam and then we'll tell the Saudis, the Iranians, the Syrians "get rid of terrorism or you're next".
Gotta AGREE with you here, 100%. Saddam and Iraq are recognized in the Arab world as having the mightiest armed forces in the region (not counting Isreal). When we show the world how easily Saddam can be exterminated, the rest of the rag heads will cooperate - or else. We will then demand that another Arab country take Arafat into exile, or he'll be exterminated.
All this pussyfooting with Arafat is muddying the waters and feeding Arab delusions. We should've supported Israel cleaning out Arafat, right after 9/11.
Sorry, I have to disagree with you here. We needed Arab support for the Afghan war, which we would not have gotten had we taken out the Saudi/Iraqi pawn (Arafat) that they've been using to focus their in-country hatred toward Jews, and not the ruling elite. Its the leaders of the Arab countries that have put their people into poverty, not Isreal or the US.
I actually think we're now using Arafat as a pawn. We needed to buy time to replenish our depleted spare parts and munitions (thanks to X42) before going after Saddam. We also want to get to the point where the Afghan situation can be handed over to the UN, or other international forces so we have minimal resources committed to that conflict. But you can bet the ranch and the dog on one thing. Operation Bagdad will begin before the elections in November.
"The more restraint we show toward Arafat in the near term, who happens to be the darling of the Saudi's and Iran, the more points we build up because Arafat hasn't done anything to the US."
Trying to build up points with the Saudi's and Iran is absolutely ridiculous. I guess the Saudi Royal Family sponsored tele-thon to pay the families of homicide bombers (among others) really shows how these points pay off. And just looking at the cases that we have irrefutable proof of, Arafat personally had Leon Klinghoffer murdered and two American diplomats assassinated.