The Arabist

The Arabist

By Issandr El Amrani and friends.

Shameless Pipes

In this article -- They're Terrorists - Not Activists -- Daniel Pipes tries to score points against the Palestinian cause because some press organizations used other words than "terrorists" in describing the Beslan bombers in Russia. There is no doubt that they are terrorists of the worst possible kind, but that does not mean that they aren't also "assailants", "guerrillas", "extremists", "gunmen" or anything else. Here is where Pipes attempts to recycle the Beslan tragedy for his own political ends:

The origins of this unwillingness to name terrorists seems to lie in the Arab-Israeli conflict, prompted by an odd combination of sympathy in the press for the Palestinian Arabs and intimidation by them.


It's a cheap shot but fits in with what we've come to expect from foaming-at-the-mouth propagandists like Pipes.

Update: Crooked Timber debunks Pipes claim-by-claim.