[thipfan73]

<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.cnn.com/2004/WORLD/meast/11/10/arafat.obit/index.html">http://www.cnn.com/2004/WORLD/meast/11/ ... index.html</a><!-- m -->

[highlander]

Great leader? cratch:

I say good riddance. He's a big reason there has been no peace in the middle east for decades.

[thipfan73]

Great leader? cratch:

I say good riddance. He's a big reason there has been no peace in the middle east for decades.

hey, he stuck to his guns to try and get what he wanted for his people.

[VioletlightHeron]

Great leader? cratch:

I say good riddance. He's a big reason there has been no peace in the middle east for decades.

hey, he stuck to his guns to try and get what he wanted for his people.

He also inspired and spawned a whole new kind of terror groups through his terrorist activites in the 60's and 70's, murdering Israeli athletes at Muncih and targeting innocent bystanders in Israel proper. I sympathize with the Palestinian plight, if their leaders in the 40's had actually given two shits about their people they might not have had to spent 3 generations and more in refugee camps. Arafat helped spotlight their plight but he sure picked a shitty way to do it. He would be better worshiped and respected if he had chosen non-violent resistance like Gandhi did. Gandhi did it for 30 plus years and his homeland is free on foreign control, Arafat did it for roughly for the same amount of time and all they have to speak for their efforts is ingrained hatred, distrust and violence.

[thipfan73]

OK so I'm wrong yet again.

Ugh. I'm just gonna stop giving opinions because I don't know shit.

edit: once again I'm sorry, having a hard time still. I'm just going to refrain from posting on some subjects for a while.

[j-monster]

I don't mean to pile on here, but I have to agree with the other posts here. Arafat was no hero... he could have chosen to take a peaceful route, instead he did nothing to stop or even slow down the extremist elements who want nothing more than to bomb Israel into the next millenium.

Hopefully the Palestinians choose a more moderate, tolerant person to lead them... maybe then it will spark a real effort on everyone's part to create meaningful and lasting peace in the area.

Pretty pie in the sky, eh? Unfortunately I think we're gonna see more of this :rambo: than peace efforts in the near future.

P.S. thipfan73, no offense taken, right? 8)

[VioletlightHeron]

I'm not saying your opinion is wrong, Wendy, I'm just disagreeing with it and giving the reasons why. It wasn't intended as a verbal smackdown. Hope everything works out ok with your problems. :thumb:

[thipfan73]

I'm not saying your opinion is wrong, Wendy, I'm just disagreeing with it and giving the reasons why. It wasn't intended as a verbal smackdown. Hope everything works out ok with your problems. :thumb:

Yeah just REALLLY sensitive lately. Sorry.

[clearlyentranced]

Everyone has their opinions..they don't need to be taken to heart all the time.

[AmbitionlessHipster]

I sympathize with the Palestinian plight, if their leaders in the 40's had actually given two shits about their people they might not have had to spent 3 generations and more in refugee camps.

yeh, and if IDF forces (led by the oh-so-great, mudering leader Sharon) didn't bulldoze their houses, they would not be living in tents either. :?

[grooveless touque]

Great leader? cratch:

I say good riddance. He's a big reason there has been no peace in the middle east for decades.

Oh yeah, I suppose the Israelis aren't to blame at all for hiding in the shelter of the United States, denying the Palestinians basic human rights and a land of their own...the Palestinians are just as oppressed as the Jews were prior to Israel being founded, but the Jews sure don't see the parallel.

Don't forget Ariel Sharon is to blame for the past four years' fighting and suicide bombing. It all started when he set foot on a Muslim holy site just because he could back in 2000.

[prz]

I wonder how long it will take to uncover Arafat's hidden 100 of millions he kept for himself in hidden Swiss accounts instead of giving it to his people who he continually kept down.

[highlander]

Great leader? cratch:

I say good riddance. He's a big reason there has been no peace in the middle east for decades.

Oh yeah, I suppose the Israelis aren't to blame at all for hiding in the shelter of the United States, denying the Palestinians basic human rights and a land of their own...the Palestinians are just as oppressed as the Jews were prior to Israel being founded, but the Jews sure don't see the parallel.

Don't forget Ariel Sharon is to blame for the past four years' fighting and suicide bombing. It all started when he set foot on a Muslim holy site just because he could back in 2000.

I didn't say Sharon was innocent at all. I stated that Arafat was a big reason why there hasn't been peace in that region for a very long time. Terrorism is not the way to solve your people's problems. Condoning the terrorism and suicide attacks against innocent people does not make you a great ruler, it makes you a murderer.

[VioletlightHeron]

Great leader? cratch:

I say good riddance. He's a big reason there has been no peace in the middle east for decades.

Oh yeah, I suppose the Israelis aren't to blame at all for hiding in the shelter of the United States, denying the Palestinians basic human rights and a land of their own...the Palestinians are just as oppressed as the Jews were prior to Israel being founded, but the Jews sure don't see the parallel.

Don't forget Ariel Sharon is to blame for the past four years' fighting and suicide bombing. It all started when he set foot on a Muslim holy site just because he could back in 2000.

Well, first of all, Sharon's visit to the Temple Mount was a red herring. Perfect excuse for the Palestinians to throw a hissy fit and launch the second intifada. It's like me daring some drunken frat boy to visit my kegger and then getting pissed when he does. The Israelis have made many mistakes but to condemn them when they are getting hit with suicide bombers encouraged by Arafat's propaganda is foolhardy. I don't agree with the right wing orthodox, they are going to have to learn to live in peace with each other and share their common land, but I do wish the Palestinians and Arabs would wake up and smell the coffee, they were foolish to start the whole thing with the '48 war and haven't had much success ever since.

[AmbitionlessHipster]

The Israelis have made many mistakes but to condemn them when they are getting hit with suicide bombers encouraged by Arafat's propaganda is foolhardy. I don't agree with the right wing orthodox, they are going to have to learn to live in peace with each other and share their common land, but I do wish the Palestinians and Arabs would wake up and smell the coffee, they were foolish to start the whole thing with the '48 war and haven't had much success ever since.

So, no one should condemn Israel because they have absolutely nothing to do with inserting the seeds of hatred that the Palestinians harbour for the Israelis? Israel should be condemned... just as much as the suicide bombers. Why do you think they are getting bombed??!! The Palestinians have no military to defend themselves... but if the Israelis want to respond they just get the IDF to rocket/shoot countless civilians... could it not be argued then that both sides are merely in defense??
There is no justification for the tearing down of Palestinian homes (they tear down a home even if you are related to suicide bomber.. it is just used as an excuse) Why should the Israelis have the right to destroy the fig resources of the Plaestinians or claim them for their own? Why should the Palestinians be forced to live in tents... and the settlements?! what the hell! It is fair that Palestinian families are denied access to their own cities because the Israelis don't feel like letting them through the checkpoints?! They arent even allowed to cross them to go to hospitals or to work!! How are they supposed to LIVE? The Palestinians have no resources, often left without water... confined to curfews (sounds like ghettoising/concentration camp) are denied these basics... but Israel should not be condemned and it is all Arafat's fault for inciting violence??? :?

Just because Israel is backed by the US and the media is 90% pro_Israeli does not mean we should overlook the crimes against humanity being carried out by the Israelis in this troubled region.