FW: today's papers: The Enemy of My Enemy is My...Enemy

["Devine, James" <jdevine@xxxxxxx>]

from SLATE: >The NYT notes that six U.S. congressmen canceled a meeting with
Arafat, "citing an American intelligence briefing that they said
proved Arafat was personally responsible for the attempt to
smuggle munitions aboard the freighter Karine A."

>"These guys are nailed," said one congressman. "Let me tell you
the level it rises to: 100 percent certainty that Arafat was
personally involved. 100 percent certainty that it was intended
for the Palestinian Authority." <

I don't get this: doesn't the Palestinian Authority have an army and a
police force? isn't normal for organizations like that to buy arms? doesn't
the Israeli state import arms? if the PA can't arm its security forces, how
can it suppress the violence of Hamas, etc.? why in heck is this a big flap?

all of the above are rhetorical questions, not needing answers.

Jim Devine jdevine@xxxxxxx &  http://bellarmine.lmu.edu/~jdevine