Sunday, November 14, 2004
Good Riddance
How Arafat Got Away With It: "The place was his Ramallah compound, the time after midnight (Arafat was a night owl). He was wearing his trademark fatigues, and his hands and lips were shaking uncontrollably. Much of the session was conducted via translator, but Arafat broke into English when asked a question about Palestinian violations of the Oslo accords. It was the kind of query a democratic statesman would have batted away without a second thought.
Arafat, however, grew visibly agitated and stammered: 'Be careful when you are speaking to me! Be careful, you are speaking to Arafat!' The threat of violence hung in the air as we left. Clearly Arafat had not quite mastered the art of being a politician or, rather, he was a politician in the mold of Mugabe or Mao. "
Anyone who can say, without smirking or blushing, "This is you are speaking to" is someone who should be disregarded by serious people.
Arafat, however, grew visibly agitated and stammered: 'Be careful when you are speaking to me! Be careful, you are speaking to Arafat!' The threat of violence hung in the air as we left. Clearly Arafat had not quite mastered the art of being a politician or, rather, he was a politician in the mold of Mugabe or Mao. "
Anyone who can say, without smirking or blushing, "This is
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