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Exit Arafat?

(Weekly Standard) William Kristol - The virtual embodiment of modern terrorism, the main instigator of its resurgence against Israeli civilians in the last three years, the indirect cause therefore of the deaths of innocent Palestinian bystanders as Israel struck back, Arafat certainly deserves exile - or worse. We believe Arafat's ability to deny peace a chance would decrease if he were far away, especially if he were deprived of control of the PA's treasury, its money-making monopolies, and the security services. Expelling Arafat would undoubtedly cause a raucous few days in the territories and in Arab capitals, but then we would all move on. Indeed, there would be, we suspect, much quiet eagerness to do so among the Palestinians who have suffered so much as a result of Arafat's disastrous leadership. And there might well be less death, and more hope for peace, in the Middle East. The administration's professed reasons for opposing the removal of Arafat seem altogether de-linked from any underlying moral and strategic judgment of what the war on terror requires, and what those who support and sponsor terror deserve.
2003-09-15 00:00:00
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