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To: Jim Willie CB who wrote (49281)	4/1/2002 5:15:07 PM
From: stockman_scott	Respond to of 65232

JW: What do you think of the U.S. policy in The Middle East...? IMO, we dis-engaged too much after the new administration came into power and things started to boil over...We're dealing with a conflict that has been in place for a long time though. The Israelis have successfully convinced Bush that their aggressive move into Ramallah and The West Bank is the equivalent to a War on Terrorism. They do have a right to defend themself BUT within reason...Some of Sharon's actions may be the equivalent to stirring up a nest of hornets...Arafat does not control all the radical arab cells of Hamas, Islamic Jihad, etc...They are very decentralized and are successfully staging asymetrical attacks on Israel. They view Israel as a country that is behind state-sponsored terrorism and they feel they are involved in a holy war for their homeland. There are hundreds of these volunteers that are willing to be suicide bombers. It doesn't matter how much brute force Israel uses they will never be able to stop the violence with their current activities...Iran, Iraq and other Arab states are also willing to support The Palastinians in their struggle...The U.S. needs the cooperation of these Arab states to deal with Sadam Hussein as well...Did you notice that he has recently stated that Arab oil producers should retaliate against The U.S...? Its not surprising and I don't know how effective he'll be. I feel The U.S. should aggressively apply more pressure on Israeli leaders as well as on Arafat and his group of PLA leaders...We should deploy Colin Powell to the Middle East and work to quickly bring both sides together for high level peace talks -- in a nuetral location. We are the only country with enough leverage to help make this happen. Right now we are sending mixed signals to the Mid-East region and it can be dangerous...things are starting to boil over in one of the most turbulent parts of the world and it will impact much more than the price of oil. JMHO.

To: Jim Willie CB who wrote (49281)	4/1/2002 5:33:37 PM
From: stockman_scott	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 65232

Iraq urges Arab states to use oil as weapon against Israel's backers Associated Press April 1, 2002, 2:01PM BAGHDAD - Iraq has called on Arab states to use oil as a weapon to punish countries supporting Israel and to stop the Jewish state's current military action against Palestinians. "Use oil as a weapon in the battle with the enemy (Israel)," Iraq's ruling Baath party said in a statement published by Baghdad media today. The statement appeared to be calling for action similar to a crippling Arab oil embargo imposed in the 1970s against Western nations. Saudi Arabia and other major producers of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries have made clear they have no intention of repeating the earlier oil embargo that severely hit Western economies. "If the oil weapon is not used in the battle to defend our nations and safeguard our lives and dignity against American and Zionist (Israeli) aggression, it is meaningless," the Iraqi statement said. The 1970s Arab oil embargo shook the world, quadrupling oil prices and badly damaging the U.S. economy, but without the support of OPEC powerhouse Saudi Arabia and other major producers any attempted repeat would have little impact. Iraqi newspapers said the statement was issued after a meeting of the pan-Arab command of the ruling Baath party late on Sunday night chaired by the party's Secretary-General, President Saddam Hussein. The statement was issued in response to recent Israeli military moves against Palestinians, which have included incursions into Palestinian cities and the encirclement of Palestinian President Yasser Arafat's headquarters in the West Bank town of Ramallah. It suggested the proposed action affecting oil output should continue "a year, six months or something similar to that," but gave no precise details on which countries should be targeted. Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon on Friday declared Arafat an "enemy" and sent tanks to his compound in Ramallah after a suicide bomber killed 22 Israelis in the coastal resort of Netanya. Israeli tanks and armoured bulldozers smashed their way into the headquarters and cut off water and electricity supplies and telephone lines. Troops have been clashing with his bodyguards, raising fears for Arafat's life. Earlier Saddam urged the Arabs to take unspecified economic action against Israel and countries supporting it, clearly referring to the United States. "If Arabs want to put an end to Zionism, they are able to do so in 24 hours," Saddam told a group of Iraqi religious dignitaries on Sunday night. "The world understands the language of economy, so why do not Arabs use this language?" he asked. Saddam said if only two Arab states threatened to use economic measures against Western countries if Israel did not withdraw from Palestinian-ruled territory, "you will see they (Israelis) will pull out the next day." He was apparently referring to Iraq and Saudi Arabia, both possessing huge oil reserves.

To: Jim Willie CB who wrote (49281)	4/1/2002 5:44:50 PM
From: elpolvo	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 65232

France has become an irrelevance, an anachronism, a tiresome lunatic voice in the wind... <polvie stands behind the insult generating JWCB machine and dilligently turns the crank clockwise> a tardy-gaited thespian, verily a draconian ill-nurtured bootless miscreant, a rump-fed unchin-snouted ratsbane, a mammering jolthead, a currish varlot, a fat-kidneyed lout, a sheep-biting boar-pig, a rough-hewn droning pignut... blah, blah, blah, blah, blah...

To: Jim Willie CB who wrote (49281)	4/1/2002 7:46:37 PM
From: stockman_scott	Respond to of 65232

Hizbollah Fires Katyusha Rocket Into Israel Mon Apr 1, 6:42 PM ET JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Iranian-backed Hizbollah guerrillas fired a Katyusha rocket into Israel from Lebanon early on Tuesday, Israeli security sources said. The sources said at least one 107mm Katyusha struck Israel's Upper Galilee region. There were no immediate reports of casualties. There was no immediate comment from Israeli army. There is concern in Israel that the Lebanese Hizbollah guerrillas may be trying to open a second front with Israel as the Jewish state conducts a military campaign in the Palestinian territories in a bid to halt a spate of suicide bombings. It was the first reported Katyusha strike by Hizbollah guerrillas on Israeli territory since the Israeli army withdrew from Lebanon in May 2000, ending a 22-year-long occupation. Hizbollah on Saturday fired anti-tank rockets and grenades at Israeli military positions along the border. Israeli war planes hit Hizbollah targets in retaliation.

To: Jim Willie CB who wrote (49281)	4/1/2002 7:51:51 PM
From: stockman_scott	Respond to of 65232

Some interesting comments from Rumsfeld... DJ Rumsfeld -2: Saddam Stipends To Bombers' Families Cited WASHINGTON (Dow Jones)--In some of his most specific comments to date, U.S. Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld accused Iran, Iraq and Syria on Monday of promoting suicide bombing attacks and also said that Iran has harbored and continues to harbor al-Qaida terrorists. "Murderers are not martyrs. Targeting civilians is immoral, whatever the excuse. Terrorists have declared war on civilization, and states like Iran, Iraq and Syria are inspiring and financing a culture of political murder and suicide bombing," Rumsfeld said. Asked to back up the comments, Rumsfeld said that Saddam Hussein is offering stipends to the families of suicide bombers. "I would not consider that a very constructive move. Indeed, I would suggest that that is very actively trying to kill innocent men, women and children. And that's exactly what the Iraqis intend to be doing by doing that," Rumsfeld said. Iran is actively running guns and terrorists through Syria into the Bekaa Valley of Lebanon. From there, they move onward to attack Israel. "There's no question but that the Iranians work with the Syrians and send folks into Damascus and down the Beirut - Damascus-Beirut Road and then into South Lebanon so that they can conduct terrorist attacks. This is all well-known," Rumsfeld said. Rumsfeld went on to say that people who remain silent on the activities of Iran, Iraq and Syria are being naive. "Needless to say, people who don't condemn it are not being helpful; people who - whether it's in this country or Western Europe or the Middle East - no matter where. I think that people have to tell the truth, and the truth is that a whole generation of young people are being taught something that is totally inconsistent with that religion, and they're being encouraged to go out and kill themselves, and as they kill other innocent people," Rumsfeld said. "I think that's wrong (not to speak out), and I think it's dangerous, and I think it's like feeding an alligator hoping it eats you last," Rumsfeld said. Regarding direct links to al-Qaida, Rumsfeld said the evidence is there that Iran is helping the terrorist organization. "There is no question but the al-Qaida have found a hospitable location in Iran and some are undoubtely still there and others have transited and moved out to other countries," Rumsfeld said. Rumsfeld declined to comment on reports that a raid conducted Thursday in Pakistan may have netted Abu Zubaydah, an al-Qaida terrorist many believe is trying to review the battered terrorist group. "I don't think there's any doubt but a man named Abu Zubaydah is a close associate of UBL's (Osama bin Laden) and if not the number two, very close to the number two person in the organization. I think that's well established. I have absolutely nothing to say about the subject," Rumsfeld said. Speaking generically, Rumsfeld said that if the U.S. did succeed in capturing a top al-Qaida official, there would be little point in letting his cohorts now he was in custody. "One of the single most important things we can do is to gather intelligence information. And when one's gathering information and then piecing things together, it is helpful to be able to do that in an environment that not everyone in the world knows precisely what kind of information you may have," Rumsfeld said. -By Alex Keto, Dow Jones