24.An Unmailed Letter from Arafat (continued)一封没有寄出的信（续）

24.An Unmailed Letter from Arafat (continued)一封没有寄出的信（续）

【文章赏析】

这是一封阿拉法特调侃小布什的信。信是在这样的情况下写的：巴勒斯坦民族权利机构主席阿拉法特针对美国总统布什刚刚提出的中东和平计划起草了一封信，但这封信没有寄出，因为信件无法通过以军的哨卡送往拉姆安拉的邮局。信的内容（续）：

Sure, we have corruption in the PA -- many of my people skim off the top a few thousands here and there -- but nothing on the scale of what's been making the news on your side of the world.

Let me see, ah yes, there was Enron -- that giant corporation from your very own state of Texas, that went bust faster than the falafel stand down the road from my office when Israeli Merkava tanks came rolling in last March. It seemed Enron tried to sell everything under the sun, including the sun. Arthur Andersen, another mega-corporation that was supposed to act as a guard rail against corruption. Well, they could not resist the temptation either, and how do you say, they cooked the books. Now we hear about another great U.S.company -- WorldCom -- that was also cooking its books in a way that is beyond belief. They just laid off 17,000 people!

Seventeen thousand people -- you believe that Mr. President? That is more people than I have in my entire military forces. And you think I am a threat to peace? What will happen when these 17,000 irate people, now-unemployed, descend on Washington, demanding explanations and jobs?

I heard the other night a report on a foreign radio station (all Palestinian stations have been forced off the air by Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's military forces), of yet another scandal brewing at Xerox, the famous photocopying company. Seems they copied too closely some of the other companies. Sorry, I did not mean to make light of the matter, nor portray this issue in a NEGATIVE manner.

I urge you, Mr. President, to establish " full transparency" to ensure that billions more are not siphoned off in crime and corruption. I have great concern that until this happens, the U.S. government cannot enjoy international trust and support. Until proper democratic institutions are established to prevent such rampant corruption, how can you expect international investors to support an economy that runs to a vastly greater degree on borrowed money than the PA?

Anyway, as I was saying, we have a lot to learn from you. Could you send Ken Lay (CEO of Enron)over sometime, I hear he is not very busy these days?

诚然，巴勒斯坦民族权力机构存在腐败现象，我手下的许多人时不时捞取几千块钱，但跟贵国闹得沸沸扬扬的那些事情相比是小巫见大巫。

让我想想，对了，安然是其中之一。这家大公司就在您的老家得克萨斯州，它比今年3月份以色列坦克开过来时我办公室下面那家小吃摊倒得还快。安然似乎天下一切都想卖，包括上天。还有安达信，它本该是把腐败拒之门外的栅栏，却也抵挡不住诱惑，你们是怎么说的来着？他们做假帐。现在我们又听说是美国的世界通信公司也伪造帐目，行为之恶劣令人难以置信，他们竟然还要裁员1.7万人！总统阁下，您能相信吗？这比我的军队总人数还要多。您认为我是对和平的威胁是吗？那么，当这1.7万失去了饭碗而满腔怒火的人们向华盛顿讨要公道和工作时会怎么样呢？

有一天晚上我从某外国电台（巴勒斯坦的所有电台都被以色列总理沙龙的军队查禁了）听到一则消息说，施乐公司也曝出丑闻。这家闻名遐迩的复印设备公司似乎过于逼真地复制其它一些公司的做法。抱歉，我不是故意要提这件事的，也不是故意要从负面角度谈论这个问题。

　　总统阁下，赶紧建立“完全的透明”吧，别再让犯罪和腐败行径吞噬巨额资财。我担心，假如不这样做，美国政府就会得不到国际社会的信任和支持。假如不建立适当的民主机构来防止这种胆大妄为的腐败，您怎么能指望国际投资者支持一个比巴勒斯坦民族权力机构更依赖借入的资金来支撑经济的国家呢？

　　我说了，我们有很多地方要向贵国学习。您能把肯尼思·莱（安然公司总裁）借给我们一段时间吗？我听说他最近不太忙。