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| Middle East |
| Has G.W. washed his hands of Yasser? |
| 2002-06-06 |
| CIA chief George Tenet warned Arafat Tuesday - before the latest homicide bombing - that he'd be on his own if there was one more attack against Israel, according to a report citing Palestinian sources. Arafat was told that if there was another attack, Bush would give Israel a free hand to retaliate, according to a senior Palestinian official. That kinda contradicts the public White House reaction (see below). Maybe they don't have an opinion because Tenet made the brag and now they've got to either back it up or back down and make him look stoopid... The dramatic Mideast moves vastly complicate Bush's talks with Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak, who arrives today and goes to Camp David tomorrow - but some analysts think the marginalization or even ouster of Arafat could be a big opportunity. "Bush can turn around and tell Mubarak, we can go forward with exactly what you want - a timetable for a new Palestinian state - absent Arafat," said analyst Dan Goure of the Lexington Institute. "It's clear there's no prospect for reform as long as Arafat is there. His security operation is totally corrupt. He doesn't want peace, he can't make peace. Anything, even chaos, is better." Yet another statement of the obvious. Today must be the day for 'em. |
| Posted by:Fred Pruitt |