On the U.S. stance toward Yasser Arafat

Reports from Washington that President George W. Bush consulted with his foreign policy aides on ways to "punish" Palestinian Leader Yasser Arafat over a controversial arms shipment are, to say the least, disturbing.

Bush chose clear and public words to express his "disappointment" with Arafat, reiterating Washington's belief that the Palestinian leader is not exerting all possible efforts to end violence and create adequate circumstances for the resumption of the peace process.

American frustration with Arafat, no matter how justifiable, must not give way to U.S. disengagement.

If, on the other hand, Bush's decision to keep (U.S. mediator Anthony) Zinni at home, indicates -- as some are saying and the hawks in Washington are lobbying hard to achieve- that the U.S. is leaning toward supporting Sharon's policy of "phasing out" Arafat, then we cannot stress enough the dangers of such a policy.

Marginalizing or removing Arafat from the scene would mean many things, including creating a dangerous power vacuum, burying the peace process and giving Sharon the green light to annihilate the Palestinians. In addition, the removal of Arafat would certainly affect not only the West Bank and Gaza, but all U.S. allies, including the moderate, and peace-loving countries in the region, and Jordan is one of them.

-- The Jordan Times, Amman, Jordan