# Does Arafat Have AIDS? **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [November 8, 2004, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-arafat-have-aids/273656 "2004-11-08T16:01:45Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 2\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![dropzone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dropzone/32/7515_2.png) [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2004, 4:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-arafat-have-aids/273656/41 "2004-11-09T04:22:26Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > I guess this is just De Facto point #1 of every conspiracy theory: the reason nobody knows about is that the media is covering it up. 😛 True, but in this case the media would LOVE to not cover it up except French law says Mrs Arafat can keep it quiet if she wants. Of course, the irony is that news organizations LOVE rumors and suspected coverup because they sell more newspapers and commercial time than a story that a 75 year old man had a stroke and whenever they need more money they trot out the rumors again. My personal conspiracy theory is that they’ll keep Arafat alive for most of the month and end the November Sweeps with A Very Special Episode of the evening news. ---
**Author:** ![Tuckerfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@Tuckerfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tuckerfan)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2004, 4:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-arafat-have-aids/273656/42 "2004-11-09T04:41:26Z")
While I don’t doubt that Arafat’s illness is natural (i.e. he’s _not_ the victim of some kind of bioweapon attack), the way the whole thing is being handled, and the fact that the doctors apparently don’t know what’s wrong with Arafat (though they might know, but are keeping it hushed up for whatever reason), is certainly going to provide ample fodder for folks who want to spin conspiracy theories. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-arafat-have-aids/273656.md?page=2)