More Flip Flop: Kerrys Says Arafat No Longer Statesman

Democratic presidential candidate Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass., has revealed that he no longer considers the Palestinian leader, Yasser Arafat, to be a statesman, but instead "an outlaw to the peace process" in the Middle East who rightly has been pushed aside, according to reports by the Guardian and the Associated Press.

This latest Kerry take on Arafat is markedly different from what the candidate portrayed in a 1997 book in which Kerry touted "Arafat's transformation from outlaw to statesman."

However, in a recent interview with the AP, he said he no longer viewed Arafat favorably:

"Obviously, Yasser Arafat has been an impediment to the peace process," said Kerry. "He missed a historic opportunity and he's proved himself to be irrelevant."

Kerry added that Arafat "blew his opportunity" to be effective in 1999 and 2000. "He was [a statesman] in 1995," Kerry said, recalling meetings between Israeli and Palestinian leaders in search of peace in the Middle East. "As far as I'm concerned, he's an outlaw to the peace process."

Meanwhile, the Bush administration has nixed dealing directly with Arafat, claiming his connection to terror attacks against Israel. In pushing its "roadmap" peace plan, the administration has been dealing with the Israeli prime minister, Ariel Sharon, and senior Palestinian officials, albeit appointed by Arafat.

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