Robert Scheer is one of those columnists who are so easy to pick on that I almost feel guilty when I do so.

But in this week's column, "Arafat, by Feeding on Martyrdom, Dooms His People" he gets most of the important things right for a change. He finally acknowledges that Arafat's strategy of terrorism will only bring more death on both sides and will not help Palestinians realize any constructive gains. He still makes a number of his typically insipid comments: implying the moral equivalence of suicide bombings and police actions, blaming Bush and the Israeli voters for the situation, etc.

But his main point -- that the Palestinians best (only) hope for statehood is to abandon terrorism and focus on non-violent resistance and nation building -- is absolutely correct.

The complete column, with my inline commentary on his sillier statements is here