Meet the new boss

Same as the old boss? Efraim Karsh makes a powerful, historically informed case that Mahmoud Abbas is the true successor of Yasser Arafat in every relevant sense: “Arafat lives.” By contrast, former Jerusalem Post editor Bret Stephens sees signs of change that distinguish Abbas from Arafat: “From ‘strong man’ to ‘good man.'”
Iraqi blogger Husayn Uthman writes at Democracy In Iraq (Is Coming). In “Democracy in Palestine” Husayn advocates a variation of a proposal that I have urged on the city of Minneapolis. I have proposed that the city seek out its friends in its old Soviet sister city of Novosibirsk to consult on the establishment of a multiparty democracy following one-party rule. Thinking along the same lines, Husayn leans toward the Karsh view of yesterday’s election:

This Abu Mazen is not much different from Arafat, I fear for the Palestinians that he will take their money too…Look at the difference between the Iraqi and Palestinian elections. We have many many options to choose from, most of which were not in power in the past or affiliated with the old regime; the Palestinians do not have this. The leading candidate was part of the old regime.
If they want a new future, they have to start new. I honestly dont know how they can do this, but my hope is that other nations can somehow help them like they have helped us. They should make a peace period with Israelis, maybe Israelis can help them? I don’t think this is realistic though honestly, because there is too much hatred between Israeli and Palestinian.

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