Silicon Investor (SI) -- The First Internet Community

STOCKTALK

We've detected that you're using an ad content blocking browser plug-in or feature. Ads provide a critical source of revenue to the continued operation of Silicon Investor. We ask that you disable ad blocking while on Silicon Investor in the best interests of our community. If you are not using an ad blocker but are still receiving this message, make sure your browser's tracking protection is set to the 'standard' level.

Politics : Foreign Affairs Discussion Group -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Elsewhere who wrote (28801)	5/7/2002 7:56:38 PM
From: stockman_scott	Respond to of 281500

What America is saying Ha'aretz Editorial Wednesday, May 08, 2002 Iyyar 26, 5762 Israel Time: 02:51 (GMT+3) Yasser Arafat has lost the confidence of important people in the administration, Congress, and opinion makers of the United States. In a simple and straightforward way that is how to understand what national security adviser Condoleezza Rice meant this week when she spoke of the Palestinian Authority chairman and the regime he leads. "This is not the kind of leadership that can bring about the kind of Palestinian state that we need," said Rice and she called for fundamental reforms in the structure and functioning of the PA. However, behind such clear and blunt opinions in Washington about Arafat and his style of leadership, there is no sign of any change in the consistent policies of the U.S. - over many administrations - about the main elements in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. On the contrary, President George Bush found it appropriate to sharpen American support for the solution of two states for two nations. To judge from Bush's public comments, it is abundantly clear that the vision of his current guest in the White House - Prime Minister Ariel Sharon - about the dimensions of the Palestinian state and its future character, are not what the president has in mind. Despite their sharp differences of opinion both national security adviser Rice and Secretary of State Colin Powell made sure to emphasize in TV interviews before Sharon's arrival that Washington sees the Israeli settlements in the Palestinian territories as obstacles blocking any chance for progress toward an agreement. Arafat, freed this week from the IDF's siege, has been given another chance by the Americans "to take command" of the territories and his people. That is the essence of the message the administration sent to the region and the world on the eve of Sharon's visit to Washington. Sharon will not be allowed to shove the veteran Palestinian leader out of the arena. He is still relevant - on the condition that he act as a leader seeking peace, and not as the head of a gang of suicide bombing terrorists who bury any hope for the independence and peace of their nation. If he refuses or fails this time, Washington is indicating it will turn its back on him. The prime minister should deceive neither himself, nor the Israeli public, that the American distaste for Arafat indicates that Washington has adopted the Israeli right's hard line, dead end positions regarding the political horizon and the future of the territories. It would be better if he presented Bush with a realistic road map for progress toward an agreement with the Palestinians. The president has already proved himself to be a strong friend of Israel, but so far he has avoided throwing the entire weight of the United States into a push for a solution of the conflict. It would be good if the president, along with his forthright and undoubtedly justified demands for far-reaching reforms in the Palestinian Authority, keeps up his no less energetic efforts - with the help of other countries of good will - to bring both sides to political peace negotiations. haaretzdaily.com

To: Elsewhere who wrote (28801)	5/7/2002 8:42:14 PM
From: Nadine Carroll	Respond to of 281500

You don't get rid of suicide bombers by deposing governments. There must be a considerable infrastructure behind the terror groups, just consider what the IDF has collected in Jenin alone. Well, no. But deposing them because of their terrorist activities sends a definite message. So far neither Syria nor Iran has paid any cost for their support of Hizbullah.

To: Elsewhere who wrote (28801)	5/7/2002 9:09:48 PM
From: Machaon	Respond to of 281500

<< You don't get rid of suicide bombers by deposing governments. >> Well...... not right away, but you remove the suicide bomber's "safe haven". There has to be a huge difference between terrorist groups operating with the blessing of the government, and terrorist groups operating clandestine because the government is their enemy. Also, these terrorist groups get their funding from governments. Right now terrorist groups, who are out to destroy the US and Israel are being funded or supported by countries such as Iran, Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, Cuba, Libya, possibly Venezuela, and Arab American organizations within the US. Fortunately President Bush understands the urgency of the worldwide terrorist threat. But, is America's war on terrorism too little too late?