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| Kerry Warns Arafat and Arab States |
| 2004-10-10 |
| The US Democrat presidential hopeful John Kerry has warned that if he wins the Nov. 2 election there will be no reprieve for sidelined Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat. The United States, like Israel, has refused to deal with Arafat, and Kerry entered the debate late Saturday by warning that if he won next month's election there would be no reprieve for the veteran Palestinian leader. "We have been at this for a long time. Mr. Arafat has proven his unwillingness and incapacity to be able to act as a legitimate partner in the peace process," Kerry said in a Florida campaign rally. Kerry also said his job as president, if elected, would be to "hold those Arab countries accountable that still support terrorists — Hamas, Hezbollah, Al-Aqsa Brigades and others." The Democrat hopeful also praised Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon for his "courageous" plan to withdraw from the Gaza Strip next year. Speaking two days after bombings at two Egyptian Red Sea resorts that killed at least 34 people, most of them Israelis, Kerry warned that the Jewish state was under attack. "People are trying to continue to create havoc... Israel remains under assault, kids blown up on buses, people sitting at restaurants, trying to live their lives," Kerry said. "I will not give one inch in our efforts to do that," he said. President George W. Bush has riled US allies in Europe and the Middle East by refusing to deal with Arafat, saying he had links to terrorism and could not be trusted to make peace. On Friday, in the second presidential debate in St. Louis, Missouri, Bush repeated his stern line on the Palestinian leader. "I wouldn't deal with Arafat because I felt like he had let the former president down and I don't think he's the kind of person that can lead toward a Palestinian state," Bush said. |
| Posted by:Fred |
| #10 How would Mike know? He's just talking out his ass again. |
| Posted by: Robert Crawford 2004-10-11 9:18:51 AM |
| #9 well..tell me, Mike...what does Kerry's voting record say about that? |
| Posted by: 2b 2004-10-11 9:12:24 AM |
| #8 The USA's policy toward the Israel-Palestine issue is rather bipartisan. Whether the President is a Democrat or Republican makes little difference. . |
| Posted by: Mike Sylwester 2004-10-11 9:07:32 AM |
| #7 I'm sure that Kerry has blamed Bush and Republicans at some point for dealing with Arafat. If someone could find footage, it would make a great commerical! |
| Posted by: 2b 2004-10-11 8:58:43 AM |
| #6 Kerry was sucking up to Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton. Sharpton should stick with Saturday Night Live--he will get a better deal. Kerry=Clinton without the sex. Both extreme leftists. Both stick their finger (index) in the air to see what people want to hear and then say it. Kerry=No principles. Stick your finger (bird) in the air to Kerry-Edwards, vote for "W." |
| Posted by: A. Bungfodder 2004-10-10 11:11:17 PM |
| #5 Well, he was speaking in Florida -- heavy Jewish vote. Wonder what he has to say in Detroit? |
| Posted by: Fred 2004-10-10 10:58:31 PM |
| #4 What's Kerry going to do, get really pissed and go to the UN and seek an International test???? And then ask the UN for a nutless resolution? |
| Posted by: A. Bungfodder 2004-10-10 10:47:28 PM |
| #3 Kerry is just blowing smoke because of poll figures. |
| Posted by: Alaska Paul 2004-10-10 10:25:43 PM |
| #2 Ooo, Arafish must be shaking in his stinky boots. NOT. |
| Posted by: Barbara Skolaut 2004-10-10 9:31:22 PM |
| #1 I guess Kerry found out that Arabs are a smaller voting block than Jews and Christian groups that support Israel. |
| Posted by: RussSchultz 2004-10-10 9:22:23 PM |