Arafat on our side?

April 3, 2003 1:35 PM

Arafat on our side? Other than this story (Guardian), I haven't seen much coverage of Yasser Arafat's behind the scenes efforts to protect Western journalists in Iraq. Possibly not the act of the evil man that he's often portrayed as?
posted by daveg (37 comments total)

Possible the act of a man knowing how good it would look? Sorta like the Arab Jesse Jackson.
posted by xmutex at 1:41 PM on April 3, 2003

Actually, Arafat is approximately 3x as evil as you though he was. Who else would ask for help from Saddam Hussein, and pray that Allah helps him?
posted by ParisParamus at 1:48 PM on April 3, 2003

Arafat acts in his own best interests, and to a certain extent, the interests of his people. In this he is no more or less or more evil than any number of world leaders.
posted by aladfar at 2:08 PM on April 3, 2003

Who else would ask for help from Saddam Hussein, and pray that Allah helps him?

Pretty much any Muslim political leader who felt he had the entire West hammering him every day for 20 years? They've got a lot in common, Arafat and Saddam.

I'm not saying Arafat's a good guy, but supporting an evil fuck doesn't necessarily make you an evil fuck. (The US has supported many an evil fuck over the years.)

Or is it the "praying to Allah" part that's bugging you, PP?
posted by jpoulos at 2:10 PM on April 3, 2003

McAllester is well known among Palestinians for fair and in-depth reporting from the Arab world and in the U.S. From what I've heard, many people took his case to Arafat's people and Arafat strongly interceded with Iraq to secure the journalists' releases.
posted by RJ Reynolds at 2:11 PM on April 3, 2003

Who else would ask for help from Saddam Hussein, and pray that Allah helps him?

Bush Sr.?
posted by iamck at 2:12 PM on April 3, 2003

Aladfar: acting in one's own self-interests is one thing; doing it my murdering children, embezzling/transfering government funds to personal Swiss bank accounts, and underwriting suicide bombers is different.
posted by ParisParamus at 2:14 PM on April 3, 2003

Yasser Arafat, whose intervention is understood to have been crucial in securing the release.

So is there a follow up story?
posted by thomcatspike at 2:19 PM on April 3, 2003

Or is it the "praying to Allah" part that's bugging you, PP?

It's a package deal, JP.

By the way, I'm still waiting for the Muslim masses to rise up and make clear that their take on Allah--God--is not one which gives to OK to Osamas, Iranian Mullahs, and Saddams; its sort of asking why the Vatican did zero or less during WWII.
posted by ParisParamus at 2:30 PM on April 3, 2003

Hey PP, you jackass, that's been done over and over by thousands of Muslim clerics around the world.

Perhaps not a few here and there but in every religion you have your zealots and those are the ones who are going to get the media coverage.

There's no central body of the Muslim faith to do an equivalent act as the Vatican did during WWII.
posted by xmutex at 2:36 PM on April 3, 2003

There's no central body of the Muslim faith to do an equivalent act as the Vatican did during WWII.

Actually, the Vatican did NOTHING during WWII.

I'm not looking for clerics to speak out. I'm looking for ordinary Muslims to do so.

In any case, I am not a Jackass.
posted by ParisParamus at 2:40 PM on April 3, 2003

In any case, I am not a Jackass.

Glad that's cleared up.
posted by Ty Webb at 2:49 PM on April 3, 2003

Did ParisP refer to all the rest of his as his murdering children...? Did I read that right?
posted by klaatu at 3:15 PM on April 3, 2003

I am not a Jackass.
Don't complain... That's the most G-rated invective I've seen thrown in a MeFi mid-east thread in months...

Back on topic, Arafat has always struck me as the most persistent survivor in World Politics. I remember, umpteen years ago, he and his immediate entourage were literally dodging missiles in Lebanon. But he never lost the status as THE leader of the Palestinians. I've never heard him accused of killing off his rivals (I may expect to hear otherwise in the next few minutes), but always kept a careful balance between the hard-liners who could never be accepted by the Western World (TM), and the more moderate, who usually ended up killed by the hard-liners. It was that personal survival instinct that I always believed would mean that he could never be the man who'd make a lasting peace with Israel - he doesn't want to be another Anwar Sadat. Anyway, with that view of Ol' Yassir, it makes his intervention on behalf of Western journalists quite logical... it never hurts to kiss up to the press.
posted by wendell at 3:15 PM on April 3, 2003

In any case, I am not a Jackass.
I agree, you are a Chickenhawk.
posted by thirteen at 3:21 PM on April 3, 2003

I think it's more about rescueing someone of Palestinian heritage than any great desire to protect western journalists.
posted by chris24 at 3:44 PM on April 3, 2003

So ParisParamus, when are you going to admit that you're getting paid by the Pentagon?
posted by zekinskia at 3:49 PM on April 3, 2003

Jackass.
posted by xmutex at 3:50 PM on April 3, 2003

I'm not looking for clerics to speak out. I'm looking for ordinary Muslims to do so.

militant islamists blame every jew for the actions of a few; freedomparamus blames every muslim for the actions of a few; birds of feather shit together.

i'm still convinced freedom is just a belligerent anti-semite disguised as a zionist.
posted by donkeyschlong at 3:50 PM on April 3, 2003

donkeydick: tu as tort.
posted by ParisParamus at 3:58 PM on April 3, 2003

Funniest. Metatalk. Ever.

"I'm tired of Iraqfilter, and have, and plan to comment very little, particularly in view of the nauseating comments along the lines of "we're losing," or "its' a stalemate," or, "we underestimated the Iraqis." (Well, maybe we somewhat underestimated the repressive nature of their regime, but that will account for a few weeks of extra war.)

I am very proud of this war, both it's aims, and the way it's being conducted."

-ParisParamus (no, I'm not making this shit up, click this link.)

3324 comments and counting, PP. I'm sure this will bump you up a few more too!

And by the way, PP, why'd Richard Perle step down in shame, and why are thousands of reinforcements heading to Iraq? Because we're winning?
posted by zekinskia at 4:07 PM on April 3, 2003

Arafat has long been misunderstood and therefore there really is no reason to prepare a constitution or have elections. Let him stay on. He is doing a great job. After all, didn't he get a Nobel for Peace?
posted by Postroad at 4:07 PM on April 3, 2003

tu as tort

freedom, now i know you're just a performance-art parody of a chickenhawk.

(hint: just contradicting people isn't informed debate. "because i say so" isn't factual corroboration.)
posted by donkeyschlong at 4:12 PM on April 3, 2003

The wanton jackassery in this thread is overwhelming.
posted by xmutex at 4:30 PM on April 3, 2003

Agreed, xmutex. I'd bet 5:1 that those who've commented here haven't read so much as newsroom bio about him -- both defenders and detractors. No, your daily newspaper articles don't count. Neither does LGF or Zmag, thanks (unless you read both).

This thread could be a list of interesting, educational, and unique links about Arafat. Or we could just call him names (and each other, too).
posted by namespan at 6:31 PM on April 3, 2003

(And no, my link isn't really all that good, but it's better than the rest of the thread so far. Outdo me.)
posted by namespan at 6:32 PM on April 3, 2003

Possibly not the act of the evil man that he's often portrayed as?
I wonder if I''ll ever read that about Bush from one of you haters.
posted by HTuttle at 8:05 PM on April 3, 2003

I wonder if I''ll ever read that about Bush from one of you haters.
Does anyone think Bush is more hated then Clinton was? I ask this as someone who hates them both. There was a time when I felt ever so slightly relieved that Bush was in over Gore, but those days are long over now.
posted by thirteen at 8:47 PM on April 3, 2003

another nice guy apparently "on our side". i wonder how many of us would help mohammed out if he were in need?
posted by specialk420 at 9:55 PM on April 3, 2003

I'm not sure how one can ask "Arafat on our side?" about his assistance in getting journalists sprung from an Iraq pokey.

Plenty of them are on Hussein's side! They certainly can't keep shouting "Down with the USA, Go palestine!" from behind bars in a torture chamber, can they?

Then who would Arafat get to do his P.R. work for him?
posted by hama7 at 10:16 PM on April 3, 2003

Yasser Arafat's star chart, and biography.
I consider Arafat is the only thing that is stopping Palestine become a hard-line Muslim state. He is more commited to peace than to eradication of the state of Israel, unlike Hamas and Islamic Jihad ('we put our future and fate in the hands of the US'). It seems strange that the 'peace loving' US doesn't see the urgency in progressing the peace process successfully whilst Arafat is alive. Once he is gone, are they are hoping to declare Palestine a terrorist nation? Or similar.
Ramallah daily is interesting; 'Channel 4 presents a daily insight into the lives of Israelis and Palestinians in their three-minute documentary "Ramallah Daily".'
posted by asok at 1:34 AM on April 4, 2003

Has anyone been able to view AlJazera TV via that
Dutch tv site (forget the name...) A Slate.com article explained how to do this via Web proxy, but it didn't work for me; I would very much like to monitor the enemy.
posted by ParisParamus at 4:46 AM on April 4, 2003

I would very much like to monitor the enemy

Shouldn't be too hard for you to monitor your alleged enemies, PP - on the basis of your past comments, all you'd have to do is visit any country or institution in the world outside of the U.S and Israel. Et Voilá! Check Fox News and Ari Fleischer for future travel ideas.

Anyway, from what I've seen and read, Arafat's refusal to concede power certainly makes him a pretty contemptable old chap, but certainly no more so, and in some ways far less so than most of the alleged leaders in the region, including Sharon, whose only diplomatic tool is force. Also, what asok said, it strikes me that despite continuous demonisation in the US and Israeli media, Arafat has been somewhat bypassed by the religious zealots who represent the real threat to stability in the Middle East.
posted by Doozer at 5:59 AM on April 4, 2003

Possibly not the act of the evil man that he's often portrayed as?

Me barfs all over floor.
posted by eas98 at 6:45 AM on April 4, 2003

I was under the impression that the PA helped in this case because one of the photographers in the group of hostages was a Palestinian by birth.
posted by 23lemurs at 7:40 AM on April 4, 2003

<off-topic>
ParisParamus: Not that anyone was paying attention to your question, but just for the record:

• Iranian sympathy for the victims of September 11, 2001
• Radio Sedaye Iran letter of sympathy
• Official letter from the Islamic Republic of Iran condemning the September 11 attacks
• Arafat and Irish foreign minister jointly condemn the September 11 attacks
• One Palestinian's reaction to the attacks
• Statements of sympathy and support from numerous Palestinian advocacy groups and other organizations
• Images of the international response

Yes, PP's demand is utterly bigoted and ridiculous - I wouldn't ask why all Jews everywhere haven't proven their moral worth, or the moral worth of Judaism, by loudly and publicly condemning Ariel Sharon, Kahane Chai, and the Likud, and I know what I would think of someone who did. I wouldn't have bothered to respond if it were just PP saying this, but this has been a sentiment that I've heard expressed elsewhere (thankfully, not so much on MeFi), so if I can make it a little more obvious that Muslims != terrorist sympathizers, I'll be satisfied.
</off-topic>

Re Arafat: Even a corrupt jerk can be helpful sometimes.

asok: Ramallah Diary easily rates as FPP material. Thank you for letting us in on it.
posted by skoosh at 11:06 AM on April 4, 2003

If there was anyone non-depraved left with a doubt that Arafat is scum, the PA's request that ABU ABBAS, scum of the scum, proves it. Lets put him on trial in New York and execute him by lethal injection, only alter the injection so that his death takes place in slow motion over the course of days.
posted by ParisParamus at 11:35 AM on April 16, 2003