John Kerry called terrorist leader Yasser Arafat a "role model" and a "statesman" in a 1997 book "that Kerry cites as proof of his own foresight about foreign policy," the New York Post's Deborah Orin revealed today.
Kerry's latest flip-flop: He "expressed the opposite view eight days ago, when he told Jewish leaders in New York that he shares President Bush's belief that Arafat must be isolated because he's not a 'partner for peace' - much less a statesman."
In his book "The New War," which like his scandalous 1971 book, "The New Soldier," is out of print, Kerry claimed: "Terrorist organizations with specific political agendas may be encouraged and emboldened by Yasser Arafat's transformation from outlaw to statesman."
He added that terrorists "whose only object is to disrupt society require no such 'role models'" as Arafat.
The Post noted, "Kerry's remarks came as he was dismissing noted historian Paul Johnson as out of date for saying the Palestinian Liberation Organization is 'the quintessential terrorist movement' but has achieved nothing for its people."
What a novel way to secure the Democrats' all-important Jewish bloc of voters and donors. Too bad he didn't learn from Hillary Clinton's disastrous embrace of Mrs. Arafat.
Yet another flip-flop: Kerry told Arab American Institute in July that Israel's security fence was "provocative" and a barrier to peace. But he told Jewish leaders last week that the fence was "necessary to the security of Israel."
And still another waffle to add to Kerry's supersized stack: Jim Zogby, a member of Democratic National Committee who backs Kerry, says Kerry's aides told that the Massachusetts Democrat objected to the location of the fence.
