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Diana · Joined: 16 Jan 2003 Posts: 494 Location: Guam, USA

Arafat is really no different than any of the dictators in the Middle East. While he makes himself rich, his people are languishing in poverty. Then he brainwashes them into thinking that their poverty and lack of progress is due to wee tiny little Israel and to America who happens to be half-way around the world. It seems to me that Israel is only half of the Palestinians' problems. The other half of their problem (and most likely a major part) is their wealthy dictator.
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TROUBLE IN THE HOLY LAND
'60 Minutes': Arafat has $800 million in bank
From aid meant for PA, wife in Paris receives $100,000 monthly

Posted: November 8, 2003
1:00 a.m. Eastern

� 2003 WorldNetDaily.com

Yasser Arafat has private bank accounts worth more than $800 million built up with funds designated as aid to the Palestinian Authority, according to a report.

From the appropriated money, he transfers $100,000 a month to his wife Suha, who lives in Paris with their daughter, according to the CBS News program "60 Minutes," which will air the report Sunday.

The investigation was assisted by PA Finance Minister Salam Fayad, who is trying to trace all of the money allocated to the PA that never reached its intended destination.

The CBS investigation confirms previous reports.

A recent International Monetary Fund audit revealed Arafat diverted $900 million from the PA budget into bank accounts under his control.

In 1998, the European Union discovered through an audit of its own that $20 million designated for low-income housing was used to build a luxury apartment complex for top PA officials and Arafat associates.

A former Arafat treasurer charged last year Arafat transferred more than $500 million in international aid to personal accounts.

An Israeli intelligence report calculated his assets to be $1.3 billion.

http://worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=35494

soso · Joined: 13 Nov 2003 Posts: 5

Hi,

I live in MIDDLE EAST, but I think that not everybody is perfect, so if u think that middle east has a lot of dictator

leaders i believe that the west is also the same not better.

note that I immigrated -uk- to middle east when I was a child I don't want to leave it because where I live the leader I just an angle...

moreover, i dont believe all the news from newspapers, internet, etc. i have to investigate before creating my opinion

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Diana · Joined: 16 Jan 2003 Posts: 494 Location: Guam, USA

A dictator is defined as "a ruler having absolute power." In the western world, the leader is NOT a dictator because they don't have absolute power. They can be taken out of office. A dictator, on the other hand, cannot be taken out of office. Why? Because he has absolute power, and he uses that power to stay in office. This is the type of leadership you would find in most of the Middle East.

Corey · Joined: 23 Mar 2003 Posts: 445 Location: Costa Rica

Your definition of a dictator doesn't work because, as Edward Shevardnaze woud tell you, anyone can be taken out of power if enough poeple get angry.

Corey
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Diana · Joined: 16 Jan 2003 Posts: 494 Location: Guam, USA

A dictator is someone with absolute rule, and the only way to take out a dictator would be by war, a coup, or as you say by angry people who want to see a change. It usually takes the anger of people or violence to take out a dictator.

Starless · Joined: 05 Nov 2003 Posts: 2 Location: Italy

I think that Bush is the real dictator, like Blair or Berlusconi!
They want only a lot of money and oil for them, don't want Peace! Mad

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Nemesis · Joined: 18 Jul 2003 Posts: 21

Isn't Bush acting like a dictator? Oh sure, Congressmen signed a resolution, but they didn't declare war. Big difference. And what evidence has been presented that Al Qaeda had anything to do with the WTC Demolition? None whatsoever. So if Al Qaeda didn't do it, who did?

Maybe the same folks who are now blocking the sorry excuse for an investigation into the events of 9/11?

And those are the same folks now at war with American soldiers in Afghanistan and Iraq.

You still have much to learn Diana. Keep trying though. Think critically.