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The Plot Thickens; Arafat
Topic Started: Nov 7 2004, 09:21 PM (463 Views)
MrsS
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Hessia/Germany
rednecker
Nov 9 2004, 03:05 AM


Okay have a stupid question.....just what nationality is Arafats wife ....


From some googling I just did:

she`s from a well-known Christian Palestinian family and was educated in France;
her mother is (was) a political journalist fighting for women`s rights in the Arab society. Since 2oo1 she and her daughter live in Paris.

You know what...Arafat is among the Top Ten of the richest statesmen in the world!! They found proof that a billion USD given from the EU to the Palestinian self-administration was on his private bank account! :ph43r: :ph43r:

That`s simply disgusting.


Anneliese
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jackd
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Suha Arafat was born in jerusalem and has been living in Paris since 2000.....for security reasons ;)
jackD
Walk in front of me, you lead me,
Walk behind me, I lead you
Walk beside me, you are a friend.
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Banandangees
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MrsS
Nov 9 2004, 05:55 PM
Quote:
 

...........You know what...Arafat is among the Top Ten of the richest statesmen in the world!!  They found proof that a billion USD given from the EU to the Palestinian self-administration was on his private bank account!  :ph43r:  :ph43r:

That`s simply disgusting.


It sure is discusting. Good example of Arab/Muslim leadership (and I mean that from a secular point of view, not a religious view). I'm sure Arafat worked hard for his "salary."

I wonder if it ever occurs to the Palestinian (and the Saudi, Iraqi, Syrian, etc.) people what all of that money, if used for their benefit and the benefit of their country's economy, could do for them.

So who is going to pocket most "of Arafat's money?" I'm sure it won't go to benefit the Palestinian people. And who's fault is it really (besides GWB who probably wasn't even born when all this started in 1948)?
Banan
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cmoehle
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Chris - San Antonio TX
Banan "It sure is discusting. Good example of Arab/Muslim leadership..."

Curious how you derive the exclusive generality from a specific.
Politics is the art of achieving the maximum amount of freedom for individuals that is consistent with the maintenance of social order.
--Barry Goldwater
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Banandangees
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:) I find it easy to do. ;)

I look at Saudi Arabia, the money from their oil yet no benefit to the Saudi people. It benefits extreme wealth to a few.

Same in Iran

Same in Syria

Same in most Arab countries.

Yet, by the standards imposed by the Heritage Foundation's "Index of Economic Freedom" survey year after year, most of these Arab countries have some of the lowest standards of living for their people in the world. Yet these countries leadership live in luxury. It's discusting as MrsS says.
Banan
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cmoehle
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Chris - San Antonio TX
In most Arab countries the people do benefit even though the wealth is in the hands of a few. Which leads us to exclusive for the same is true in the US.

"Index of Economic Freedom" measures I believe how nations deal with buisnesses, how easy it is for businesses to move there and become established. A lot to do with low corporate taxes and incentives. The US doesn't rate well on that index, too protectionist governed by liberals like Bush, for example..
Politics is the art of achieving the maximum amount of freedom for individuals that is consistent with the maintenance of social order.
--Barry Goldwater
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TexasShadow
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Jane
Banandangees
I think you may be wrong about saudi arabia not sharing it with the ordinary saudis.
the ordinary saudis are on a pretty good dole.
it's one of the ways the royal family stays in power...they take care of the people like the shieks took care of their tribes.

Posted Image "A conclusion is the place where you got tired of thinking."
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MrsS
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Hessia/Germany
I was very disappointed when I read about Arafat`s money this evening!
Seems he was more interested in power than in his people. :(

I have a lot of affections (?) for the Palestenians...for decades they`ve suffered so much...and hopefully hopefully this will be a new beginning for freedom-talks.
Now that Arafat isn`t in power anymore I hope that Israel will reach out hands
to his successor(s)...and that they ( the P. ) act reasonably.
I`m not believer in prayers...but, if I were - I`d pray for this :)


Anneliese
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Banandangees
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cmoehle
Nov 9 2004, 06:55 PM
In most Arab countries the people do benefit even though the wealth is in the hands of a few. Which leads us to exclusive for the same is true in the US.

"Index of Economic Freedom" measures I believe how nations deal with buisnesses, how easy it is for businesses to move there and become established. A lot to do with low corporate taxes and incentives. The US doesn't rate well on that index, too protectionist governed by liberals like Bush, for example..

The Heritage Foundation's "Index of Economic Freedom" does measure, as you say, how nations deal with buisness in general; but, it measures much more, all of which affects the peoples (citizens) of each nation - their standard of living - which in many situations, is determined by how the leaders lead.

The "Index" grades countries on such measures as

-the liberality of trade policy,
-how much citizens are burdened by taxes and regulation,
-the soundness of their monetary policy,
-whether people's property rights are protected,
-the size of the black market
-rule of law
-and other things all of which directly affects the lives of the every day citizen of that country

The countries are catagorized into five groups according to all combined measures:
1. Free (US ranks btwn 5th and 8th) Hong Kong, UK, Denmark, Australia are some)
2. Mostly Free (Canada, Sweden, Belgium, Germany, France are some)
3. Mostly Unfree (Egypt, Yemen, Saudi Arabia, Indonesia, Turkey, China, Russia, Algeria, Brazil, Cambodia, are a few)
4. Repressed - (Iraq, Iran, Syria, Libya, North Korea are a few)
5. "Impossible to analyze" as there is no rule of law (2002 Index listed Afghanistan, Somalia, Dominican Republic, Sudan, Angola)

The U.S. measured quite high in the "FREE".

If you download the charts, you can see that the Arab countries (including Saudi Arabia) rate Mostly Unfree to Repressed, (Bahrain, United Arab Emirates and Qatar are the only exceptions which are rated in the Mostly Free)
Banan
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cmoehle
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Chris - San Antonio TX
Banan, I'm quite familiar with the report, used to post it on AtC. You are very selective in measures and measureds.

And you list Iraq but I find it not mentioned.

Where's, for example, trends in your summary?

Years 1970 1975 1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 2001 2002
Iran 5.8 5.7 3.5 3.7 4.1 4.0 5.6 6.2 6.1 -- improving
Syria 4.7 4.9 4.0 3.6 3.5 4.3 4.9 5.7 5.2 -- improving
United States 7.0 7.1 7.4 7.5 8.1 8.3 8.6 8.3 8.2 -- trending downward since Bush took office

Not good.
Politics is the art of achieving the maximum amount of freedom for individuals that is consistent with the maintenance of social order.
--Barry Goldwater
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sylley2000
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Sylvia, Grand Bend ON
Update on the funeral plans for Arafat--looks like there is a withdrawal of demands for him to be buried in Israel:

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/sto...9/BNStory/Front

Sylvia
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Banandangees
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cmoehle
Nov 10 2004, 12:00 AM
Banan, I'm quite familiar with the report, used to post it on AtC. You are very selective in measures and measureds.

And you list Iraq but I find it not mentioned.

Where's, for example, trends in your summary?

Years 1970 1975 1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 2001 2002
Iran 5.8 5.7 3.5 3.7 4.1 4.0 5.6 6.2 6.1 -- improving
Syria 4.7 4.9 4.0 3.6 3.5 4.3 4.9 5.7 5.2 -- improving
United States 7.0 7.1 7.4 7.5 8.1 8.3 8.6 8.3 8.2 -- trending downward since Bush took office

Not good.

Thinking of my original statement of "Arab/Muslim leadership" and the negative affect on it's peoples (as in Arafat's situation (riches) with the Palestinian people. And I mentioned Saudi Arabia, Syria, Iran as being similar. I was eluding to present day standards of living in those countries. When questioned about my making a general statement (about Arab leadership) from a specific situation (Arafat/Palestine), I used the Heritage Foundation's 2002 Index and listed in the reference the last four years which more represents the present. Going back to the 1970 measurements tells us how things were then and maybe what lead to present time standards of living, but it doesn't describe today's standards of living.

In the 2002 Index, it listed Iraq as 155th in the "Overall ranking" table.

Also, for the purposes of my "statement," I think the 2002 Index's "Overall ranking" table puts into perspective the sub-par level of the standard of living of those Arab countries at present (since Arafat is still clinging to life) compared to the rest of the world at present.

Summarize the years from 1970 to present if you have the time. It might be interesting as to what comes out of it that reflects today's quality of life in those countries.

Addendum: "You are very selective in your measures and measureds."

The measureds were not my summary of what the "Index" measured, they were taken from the 2002 Index "Executive Summary" written by Gerald P. O'Driscoll, Kim R. Holmes, and Mary Anastasia O'Grady which they included:

-Trade policy
-Fiscal burden of government
-Government intervention in the economy
-Monetary policy
-Capital flows and foreign investment
-Banking and finance
-Wages and prices
-Property rights
-Regulation
-Black market

Those were the basis of measurement and rankings in the 2002 Index
Banan
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brewster
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