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Europe
Chirac calls Arafat "man of courage"
2004-11-11
French President Jacques Chirac, confirming Yasser Arafat's death, hailed the Palestinian leader on Thursday as a man of courage and conviction who embodied the Palestinian struggle for a state. "It is with emotion that I have just learnt of the death of President Yasser Arafat, the first elected president of the Palestinian Authority," Chirac said in a written statement. "I offer my very sincere condolences to his family and to people close to him." Chirac urged the international community to persevere with efforts to ensure an international peace plan known as the road map is put into effect in the Middle East.
Posted by:Mark Espinola

#17  I'm still trying to figure out if he and Mara Eliason get paid with our tax dollars... If so, then the entire process of public funding for partisan hacks should be dismantled immediately. Totally insane.
Posted by: .com   2004-11-11 7:37:34 PM  

#16  Juan Williams = NPR.

What more needs to be said?
Posted by: Raj   2004-11-11 7:27:31 PM  

#15  And Juan Williams, professional apologist, is making me hurl.
Posted by: .com   2004-11-11 6:49:14 PM  

#14  Boy the guys on Fox News are having a hey-day with this! Chicago Mike is right, they just showed the clip of Chirac's quote, and the translator did say "I bowed down before PRESIDENT Arafat....." In between that and the UN flying it's flag at half staff gives me even less hope for Europe and the UN (not that I had much anyways). This guy was a TERRORIST for God's sake! Charles Krauthammer is slamming him (as well as Brit Hume) pointing out that there may be TRUE HOPE for peace now that he's gone!
Posted by: BA   2004-11-11 6:43:16 PM  

#13  Not only the honor guard at the airport, JFM, but Chirac was quoted at the hospital as saying "Je m'incline..." or I BOW to Arafat.
Posted by: chicago mike   2004-11-11 2:16:38 PM  

#12  Love that photo,looks like he is picking nitts.
Posted by: raptor   2004-11-11 1:34:36 PM  

#11  I'm sure Bobbie Mugabe can find a nice farm for him in Zimbabwe.
Posted by: ed   2004-11-11 1:09:37 PM  

#10  I hear Fish's old home will be going on the auction block soon......
Posted by: CrazyFool   2004-11-11 1:08:14 PM  

#9  He'll always find a home in the Mukata...
Posted by: Seafarious   2004-11-11 1:01:34 PM  

#8  On a more serious note, Nicholas Sarkozy, (the Former Finance Minister) (and a realist) seems set to challenge Cirac in 2007.

Chirac's corruption and suspected massive thefts of French money while he was Mayor of Paris are well known. The fact that he is the French President keep him from being tried and imprisoned at this time.

At this point, it is uncertain whether Chirac will run again in 2007. A re-election of his corrupt government may be the only thing preventing him from fleeing France. After all, he has no place else to go in this world. Former French colonies like Algeria and the Ivory Coast will not take him.
Posted by: leaddog2   2004-11-11 12:59:49 PM  

#7  Mike

They wouldn't be happy. And still more knowing that there have been militarty honors when the butcher's corpse left French soil.
Posted by: JFM   2004-11-11 12:28:31 PM  

#6  JFM: Wonder what the heroes of Verdun would think of the government of France treating Arafat like a hero. Can't imagine it would go over well.
Posted by: Mike   2004-11-11 12:03:49 PM  

#5  Don't be so hard on Chirac, he's just lost his last major source of graft best friend.
Posted by: Mike   2004-11-11 11:10:47 AM  

#4  Mr De Bono

Have a look at Verdun.
Posted by: JFM   2004-11-11 11:05:22 AM  

#3  So how much money is the spineless Chirac getting from Arafat's widow? Courage! What would a Frenchman know about that?
Posted by: Douglas De Bono   2004-11-11 7:22:11 AM  

#2  I am beginning to believe he no longer has all his wits. After all he is well over 70 and even at his peak he was already an idiot.
Posted by: JFM   2004-11-11 5:54:12 AM  

#1  well mr. chirac , if we are name calling .... you stupid twat !
Posted by: MacNails   2004-11-11 5:40:15 AM  

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