Arafat Quote by William F. Buckley, Jr
“The principal sponsors of the terrorists are not religious fanatics. "Palestine's Yasser Arafat, Iraq's Saddam Hussein, and Syria's Assad family have made themselves the icons of Islamism despite the fact that they are well-known atheists who live un-Muslim lives and have persecuted unto death the Muslim movements in their countries."”
About This Quote
Source Speech: Commentary on Middle Eastern politics, 1990s
Political leaders may use religious rhetoric for power while personally rejecting the faith they claim to represent.
In simple terms: Leaders exploit religion for political gain despite personal disbelief.
Key Takeaway
Question motives behind political rhetoric.
Themes
politics
religion
leadership
Mood
critical
analytical
Type
political
commentary
When to use this quote
- election campaigns
- policy analysis
- media commentary
Key Concepts
hypocrisy
power dynamics
secularism
Questions to Reflect On
- How does personal belief affect public policy?
- When does rhetoric become manipulation?
A Different Perspective
Religious claims can be weaponized, but audiences may resist.
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![“[Israel will] create in the course of the next 10 or 20 years conditions which would attract natural and voluntary migration of the refugees from the Gaza Strip and the west Bank to Jordan. To achieve this we have to come to agreement with King Hussein and not with Yasser Arafat.” quote by Yitzhak Rabin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/f7c/yitzhak-rabin-7015_achieve_israel-will-create-in-the-course-of-the_327065.jpg)
