That Explains Suha

A great article in the Atlantic this month about Arafat from interviews with people close to him - bodyguards, business associates, etc. The article suggests Arafat may have died of AIDS. Anyone who saw pictures of him towards the end knew he had some type of terrible disease. I thought cancer, but AIDS was a possibility. Apparently, AIDs is a big problem among the homosexual population in the West Bank, and there is a rumor amongst those "in-the-know" that the soft spoken, humble Arafat may have been a gay...he was apparently close with many of his bodyguards.

And does anyone remember the days after his death, seeing his widow (who lived in France) on TV. Ugliest girl I've ever seen.

Normally I don't like to spread gay rumors about guys - more often than not they are attempts to undermining the subject, rather than something accurrate, relevant, or interesting. Same thing applies to rumors about girls being sluts. We all know the truth - all guys are gay and all girls are sluts!

But the fact is, I have no problem undermining Arafat and the homophobic society he "led."

UPDATE: I guess I'm not the only one spreading "rumors" as Powerline brings up the same issue today: http://powerlineblog.com/archives/011601.php

Arafat will be happy to see KRT resolutely standing by his side protecting him from the vile, filthy rumors, that he always stood against his entire life.

I guess it's a reflection of shallow political ideology on whether one believes it more likely that Arafat died of AIDS or Israeli poisoning. I imagine that KRT would have no problem with the "rumors" in Arafatistan that the Israelis had poisoned Arafat.