Jacko
We agree on more than we disagree. I also would like the U.S. to tighten the screws on Israel, however not to the extent you would or with the latent threat of excommunication.
In your eyes the PLO has metamorphosed from the mother of all terrorist organizations to a political entity. While your answer waffled somewhat to this point, it struck me as a tacit acceptance. I guess we all have to hitch our wagons somewhere. You stand on a slippery slope, I am sure you know that though. Allowing myself to see from a left of center viewpoint (no offense meant) I imagine their stock is more legit via repudiation of terrorism. As a past acknowledged umbrella organization for terrorism as oppossed to the actual operator, the distance is increased, but the finger prints are still there. I must admit suprise that with a few keystrokes you give legitimacy to an organization that has so much European blood on it. Find the genesis of most European and middle eastern terrorist organizations prior to the late 80's and you will find the PLO's stamp of approval. If my understanding of its history is on, the IRA was one of the PLO's star pupils going back to the first tricontinental conference in Cuba in the early 1960's. To follow parallels in your arguement then then seinn fein, Gerry Adams specificallymight be considered the legitimate voice of the disenfranchised in NI, buts that an arguement for another day.
To tie the Palestinian issue as a rider to dialogue over the events of 9/11 as advocated by the EU is to imply that it was casaul to those events. Clearly it was not. Any attempt to do so will fail as it oversimplies Arab politics. All problems cannot be taken in their totality, but as singular issues, tabled for now.
The perception of Arab bashing concerns me also, but given the framework we operate within, I am at a loss to approach it much differently than the way the western world is doing it. The Talibans response by calling for a jihad reminds me of a defense lawyer playing the race card to muddy the waters. We agree, at least as viewed from an Arab standpoint on moderate Arab governments reasoning for their ambiguity on the show of support for the war on terrorism. They have more to lose in the long run the do the western world. One comment, however is that Arab governments have always left themselves wiggle room, no matter how just the cause.
Perhaps this is tough for a journo type, but view press reports with a critical eye, re: the plan to kill Yasser. There are many in the press here who theorize that the CIA killed JFK.