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| Middle East |
| Israeli cabinet approves proposal to end Yasser's siege |
| 2002-04-28 |
| Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's Cabinet on Sunday approved a U.S. proposal aimed at ending the month-old siege outside Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat's compound in Ramallah. The U.S. plan calls for U.S. and British personnel to guard six Palestinians wanted by Israel, and in turn Arafat would be allowed to leave his compound and move freely in the Palestinian areas of the West Bank and the Gaza Strip. There was no immediate response from the Palestinian leadership. This is a crummy idea from several points. First of all, it commits the U.S. and Britain to provide prison guards for six thugs for up to 18 years or until Yasser pardons them, which'll be next month. During that time they'll be targets for Palestinian mobs who'll come by to spring the thugs. If they're lucky, they'll just be slapped around, like the UNIFIL troops. If not, they'll be killed - they're Imperialists, after all. Second, it lets Yasser run around the PA territory and resume rousing the rabble for more murder. There doesn't have to be a third, but a little thought can come up with more... |
| Posted by:Fred Pruitt |
| #4 Update: it appears that they're going to use Jericho, and civilian US/UK guards. Look for Al Aqsa to set up HQ in Jericho. |
| Posted by: Joel Rosenberg 2002-04-29 07:47:50 |
| #3 Well, of course he accepted it -- it gets him out of jail, and gets him US soldiers as a human shield, with Israel to be blamed when Arafat's people kill them. From his POV, what's not to like? |
| Posted by: Joel Rosenberg 2002-04-28 13:16:35 |
| #2 FoxNews says Yasser accepted it. Dammit. |
| Posted by: Fred 2002-04-28 12:40:47 |
| #1 Oh, it's a horrible idea -- dollars to doughnuts the "jail" will be right next to Al Aqsa Ops Central, as part of Yassir's Operation Human (Bomb) Shield. People who think that Bush is being deviously and brutally brilliant will decide, no doubt, that he's going to put a few US troops in the way of being killed as a means to say, "Go get 'em, Arik," when they are. But, from the US POV, that's probably about the least damaging thing that can happen out it -- until the Administration stops making noises that the "moderate Arabs" have a veto over Iraq II, the War on Terror is going to be fought with at least one hand tied behind our back. Not a good idea. |
| Posted by: Joel Rosenberg 2002-04-28 10:37:01 |