the sad truth is that hostilities could and would end in 24 hours if that is what Arafat wanted. He still controls over 40,000 armed militia/police that could easily wipe out/tie down the Hamas and Islamic Jihad active cells. Arafat doesn't wan't to. Peace is not in his plans. Why rule over a tinpot thord world country when you can fantasize about keeping the whole world focussed on your shitty little mess. Shame on the so-called Arab leadership who stand by and acquiesce in this Arafatian farce as their brothers suffer. Must be a line or two in the Koran about that.
Posted by Mark 1/26/2002 4:27:43 PM

I don't think that's the case anymore. I don't think he can stop what he's started.
Posted by Fred 1/26/2002 5:59:44 PM

There's just the glimmer of a policy turn here; very optimistically, Arafat could be laying the groundwork for a civil war. How he'd fight it would be the interesting part. (What if that's why he was arming up? Hmmm. I'm not ready to accept that explanation, but I also can't see how he would have pursued an escalation with Israel he must know he'd lose badly.)
Posted by lakefxdan 1/26/2002 9:46:05 PM