A MESSAGE TO SECRETARY OF STATE, POWELL
By Yoram Ettinger, Jerusalem April 13, 2002

1. SHOULD THE U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE MEET WITH A COUNTERFEITER, arch-terrorist, murderer of US Ambassadors, systematic violator of commitments, abuser of human rights, oppressor of Christians, corrupt ally of Saddam and Iran and the role model of inter-Arab treachery?!

2. A REPEAT OF THE 1991 BLUNDER? The US ended the 1991 Gulf War prematurely, allowing Saddam to emerge in 2002 as an almost-nuclear power.  As a result, Saddam threatens the national security of the US in a way which could dwarf 9/11, requiring another costly war to eliminate the threat.  Forcing Israel to abort its war on the joint PLO/Hamas production-line of Human Missiles (suicidal bombers), would instantly transform Human Missiles into a global plague, aimed primarily at the "Great Satan," the US.  It would fuel global terrorism, toppling regimes in Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, Oman and the UAE.  Mideast instability is fed by Israel's vulnerability, and is minimized by Israel's potent deterrence.

3. DON'T BLAME ISRAEL FOR COLLATERAL DAMAGE! Secretary Rumsfeld: "Let there be no doubt; responsibility for every single casualty in this war, be they innocent Afghans or innocent Americans, rests at the feet of the Taliban and Al-Qaida.  Their leadership are the ones that are hiding in mosques and using Afghan civilians as human shields by placing their armor and artillery in close proximity to civilians, schools, hospitals, and the like. When the Taliban issues accusations of civilian casualties, they indict themselves...We did not seek this war; it was thrust upon us. It is a matter of self-defense (Oct. 29, 2001)." The US handled collateral damage in Somalia (1993), Panama (1989) and Libya (1986) in a similar - justifiable - manner.

4. THE USA DEMOLISHED AFGHANISTAN WITHIN WEEKS OF 9/11.  ISRAEL ABSORBED 8.5 YEARS OF UNPRECEDENTED TERROR BEFORE LAUNCHING WAR ON PLO/HAMAS TERRORISM. No moral symmetry should be drawn between the 750 Israelis who were deliberately murdered by Palestinian terrorists since the Oslo Accord was signed (equal to 37,500 Americans, 13 times 9/11!) and the innocent Human-Shield Palestinians, who were killed unintentionally by Israel.

5. THE CURRENT WAVE OF PALESTINIAN TERRORISM DOESN'T STEM FROM DESPAIR AND THE LACK OF A POLITICAL PROCESS.  It stems from the tragically flawed Oslo-Wye-Mitchell-Tenet-Zini process and its "flag ship", the PLO. The process has eroded Israel's posture of deterrence, has legitimized the most radical and treacherous Palestinian element, inflaming Palestinian hopes for Israel's disintegration. A departure from the Oslo Process, restoring Israel's power of deterrence and obliterating false Palestinian hopes, are the prerequisites for the defeat of terrorism. The last 8.5 years have proven that there is no political solution to Palestinian terrorism. In fact, the dismantling of the terrorist infrastructure (not just Arafat) will pave the road to a political solution.

6. THAT WHICH HAS HAUNTED THE USA SINCE 9/11, HAS PLAGUED ISRAEL SINCE 1948. The US is battling Afghani and Iraqi terrorism, located 7,000 miles away and threatening the personal safety of Americans.  Israel is combating Palestinian terrorism, located at its own backyard, threatening Israel's very existence.

7. MEETINGS WITH ARAFAT - JUST LIKE MEETINGS WITH BIN LADEN OR MULLAH OMAR - EMBOLDEN the proliferators of Human Missiles, causing a setback to the US war on terrorism. The PLO/PA/Arafat - just like the Taliban and Al Qaida - are not partners to the solution; they are the core of the problem.  They are not partners for peace; they are the enemies of peace.  Zini's and Powell's visits have triggered escalation of Palestinian violence, since mollifying terrorists breeds more violence.

8. THE AIM OF SECRETARY POWELL SHOULD NOT BE A CEASE-FIRE. Just like in Afghanistan, the aim should be the eradication of the political, financial and operational infrastructure, which fuels the fire of terrorism.

9. NO COMPROMISE, NOR INCONSISTENCY, WITH TERRORISM.  No grievance justifies terrorism (the deliberate and systematic maiming and killing of civilians). The US cannot be vigilant against Afghani terrorism, but wavering on Palestinian terrorism. In the battle against terrorism, the US should not be neutral between Israel, the sole soul Mideast ally of the US, and the corrupt and repressive PLO, the role-model of global terrorism and violation of commitments, the ally of Saddam, Iran, Sudan, N. Korea and the oppressor of Christians. No distinction should be made between terrorists and those who harbor them. The PLO harbors Hamas, Islamic Jihad and Al-Aqsa Brigades.