Arafat, you owe $116 million

Today a US Court ruled that Yasser Arafat owes the children of Israeli/Americans Yaron and Efrat Unger $116 million for murdering their parents.

Does anyone see any problems with this or is it just me?

First of all, in case you missed that news when it occurred, Yasser Arafat is dead. The Jerusalem Post announced it in big bold black letters at the time it occurred. I, for one, wasn't too sad to read it. In fact, I don't think it could have happened to a better guy.

Second of all, when he was alive, Yasser Arafat was a terrorist. And... as a general rule, terrorists who steal from their own people and murder indiscriminately those whose citizenship they don't like or acknowledge, are not that keen to pay up on their obligations -- legal or otherwise. It is totally out of character for the average terrorist. Kill someone for no other reason then you don't like their politics AND then when called on the rug for it, pay a humungous penalty for doing so. I have never been a terrorist, but I a pretty sure that that is not part of the Terrorist Code of Ethics.

Third, the US Courts expect the Palestinian Authority to make good on Arafat's debt. Yup, that seems reasonable ... if you are living in Fairy Land and your best friend is a cute little gnome with green hair. Do you really think that the PA is just going to say: "Oh heavens, we are just so sorry for what our old friend/boss Arafat did and we just want to do the honourable thing. Where do we pay?"

Once again, I am not on a first name basis with any members of the PA, but I willing to bet my last nickle that they aren't thinking this way. As a general rule terrorists don't value human life. They don't really care who they kill as long as it makes the front page of the biggest newspapers and makes decent people think twice before tangling with them.

Originally the PA simply said that it did not recognize the US Legal System. That didn't work. Then they said that they didn't understand the US legal system and they wanted a break for that. And when that didn't work, they moved to the best argument used by five-year olds worldwide: "It wasn't me; it was him (in this case Hamas)."

I am willing to concede that this entire legal exercise may have been worth the effort strictly for its public relations value. Maybe one percent of the people who read the judge's decision will change their views of Arafat and rethink all those warm and fuzzy thoughts they harboured for him.

But please Unger family, don't bother opening a bank account because the money isn't coming.