Bush and Sharon Discuss Mideast; Arafat Seems an Afterthought. After their meeting at the White House today, President Bush and Prime Minister Ariel Sharon of Israel both expressed disappointment with the Palestinian leader Yasir Arafat. By David Stout. [New York Times: International]
Bush: Israel Has a Right to Defense. As Israeli tanks encircled Yasser Arafat's headquarters, President Bush cast fresh doubts Monday on prospects for Mideast peace with the Palestinian leader in power. [AP World News]
This looks very like a case of the tail wagging the dog. Apparently Ariel Sharon only has to float an idea in order for it shortly afterward to become part of US policy. This whole anti-Arafat business is distressing in the extreme. Is this the idea: The guy representing the other side has views which are too far opposed to ours, so how are we supposed to negotiate with him? What we need is someone who'll first bend towards our point of view, and then (having already achieved concessions) we'll enter into talks. Sounds strange, and yet the US administration apparently thinks it's fine.
And now it's also apparently perfectly all right for the Israelis to make incursions into Palestinian territory any time they see fit, because they're only doing it to 'hunt down terrorists'. Nice one, Ariel old buddy. Just you do whatever you like and you'll have our blessing. Forget about all those Palestinians; they're mostly filthy terrorists anyway, so they have no rights. Bring on the dogs of war!
12:03:53 AM 
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