Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.1 6/24/83; site mmintl.UUCP Path: utzoo!lsuc!watmath!clyde!bonnie!akgua!whuxlm!harpo!decvax!mcnc!philabs!pwa-b!mmintl!franka From: franka@mmintl.UUCP (Frank Adams) Newsgroups: net.flame,net.politics Subject: Re: Another Zionist Plot . . . Hmmmmmmm. Message-ID: <732@mmintl.UUCP> Date: Thu, 24-Oct-85 19:27:53 EST Article-I.D.: mmintl.732 Posted: Thu Oct 24 19:27:53 1985 Date-Received: Wed, 30-Oct-85 22:01:24 EST References: <965@decwrl.UUCP> Reply-To: franka@mmintl.UUCP (Frank Adams) Organization: Multimate International, E. Hartford, CT Lines: 44 Xref: lsuc net.flame:2148 net.politics:1759 [Not food] In article <965@decwrl.UUCP> arndt@squirt.DEC writes: >Now is it that the Arabs (they all look alike to me) are that stupid, no >just >don't care about American opinion or don't understand how it works, yes >or is >it that 'other' hands are at work guiding the idealistic young Arab boys >and girls????? no Let me elaborate on that a bit. While there are many Arabs who do care about American opinion and have a reasonable understanding of it, there are many more who do not care, or do not understand it. How many Americans have a reasonable understanding of Arab public opinion? How many even care? The other point is that terrorist activities, even if planned by a larger group, are carried out by small groups of people, who are not under effective control at the time of their action. Based on what I have read in newspaper accounts, I think it is likely that Abbas was behind the group which took over the Achille Lauro; that they did not intend to take over the ship, but did so when they learned their cover was blown for their real mission (in Israel); and that the planners were upset with the decision to take over the ship, and aghast at the killing of an American. None of this should be interpreted as exoneration for the planners; they were, after all, planning a terrorist action. But without the arousal of American opinion caused by the involvement of Americans, it is not clear they would not have helped their cause with the planned action. One does not need to appeal to plots to explain screw-ups in armed encounters. Frank Adams ihpn4!philabs!pwa-b!mmintl!franka Multimate International 52 Oakland Ave North E. Hartford, CT 06108