Rachel Ehrenfeld, Director of the New York-based Center for the Study of Corruption and the Rule of Law (and the author of the forthcoming book Funding Evil), explores Yasser’s enormous monetary stash in this guest commentary column for The National Review. An excerpt:
Experts estimate that the $1.3 billion Arafat controls could feed three million Palestinians for a year, buy 1,000 mobile intensive-care units, fund ten hospitals for a decade, and still leave $585 million to fund other social projects.
But firsthand testimonies by disaffected Palestinians, and volumes of documents found in his headquarters in Ramallah, leave no doubt that Arafat controls all PA money. And since this goes back to the 1960s, the amount of money that passed through his hands is staggering.
It comes as no surprise, of course, that Arafat is a greedy, murderous crook (the only “job” he’s ever held, afterall, is “terrorist organization leader”), but Ehrenfeld’s column further reveals that “Arafat also controls a growing criminal industry — a blooming counterfeit industry that includes hundreds of thousands of CDs and DVDs, movies, designer cloths, schoolbooks, and even cosmetics” — the proceeds from which help fund terrorist attacks on falafel stands and discos.
Since the Soviets are no longer around to fund him, and the Socialist experiment in disarray everywhere, why should we surprised when he goes from being just a terrorist to a more entrepreneurial form of organized criminal? %-)
I wonder how much money Bush has.
Sad, when you think of all the millions of people in the USA without even basic medical care.
Interesting read – http://www.pmwatch.org/pmw/cast/hedges.asp
“I wonder how much money Bush has.”
…Or Barbara Streisand, for that matter.
Of course, Bush just helms the world’s most powerful and influencial democracy; Babs—well, she don’t bring me flowers. Any. More….
Socialized healthcare has failed (or is failing) everywhere it’s been tried. You want to make healthcare more affordable? Go after the trial lawyers who terrify the malpractice insurers, and revisit the layers of bureaucratic encumbrance that ultimately serve to inflate drug prices.
I am doing a research paper on National Health Coverage and the problems it has caused and failures. Can you direct me to internet sites that have factual materials to help with my paper. I greatly appreciate any help you can send to me.
Thank you
Cas