Yasser Arafat Is Dead (And I don't Feel So Good Myself)

I was taking a few minutes off from writing “The Fair Tax Plan is Really Fair” in order to watch President Bush’s first press conference since the election. In the middle of the press conference, one of the reporters prefaced his question with an announcement that Yasser Arafat had died this morning.

I would normally react with muted applause while being deferential to the grief of the Arafat family, but somehow I’m not exactly sure if I can celebrate the passing of this proven, documented terrorist.

Like the fall of the Soviet Union, what fractionalization are we now facing in the leadership effort to establish a Palestinian state? What new towel head radical will take the reigns of the PLO?

Perhaps this is a good omen for the new Bush administration. Perhaps the new PLO leadership will be rational and reasonable and we can truly forge a framework for Middle Eastern peace.

We can only hope for the best.

UPDATE: November 8, 2004

Ok, ok, ok...I was wrong, technically. They are still pounding on poor old Yasser's chest and have tubing stuck in every bodily orifice (and several extra tubes pushed into new, manmade holes) and they claim that he is still alive. For all intents and purposes, he's "bought the farm," or at least his own personal piece of arid, rocky, middle eastern desert.

So the title to my Post should have read "Yasser Arafat Is A Gonner..." His old lady and his lieutennants are predictably fighting over his money and his position as the leader of the PLO and the poor bastard isn't even cold and burried in his own little section of the Gaza Strip. Israel is refusing to inter him in Jereusalem and based on his history, I believe they have that right.

I'm working on a new series of posts on Yasser and the PLO that will cover some issues you need to hear in detail.

For now, RIP Mr. Arafat.

UPDATE: November 11, 2004

Well, like I said last Thursday, Yasser was a gonner, and he is now finally. Thanks to our useless French friends for leading the charge to elevate this petty criminal/terrorist to the rank of statesman. Let's all step out of the way to let the news anchors from ABC, CBS, NBC, and CNN all come by to kiss his ring finger.

And of course Kofi Annan, Jimmy Carter, and each and every other member of the United Nations "Love Your Local Dictator and Socalist Club" will come out to mourn the loss of his miserable carcass. At the risk of sounding crass, crude, and socially unacceptable....

Good riddence...