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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