Analysis: Government and IDF racked by unprecedented leadership crisis

Israel Insider ^ | August 9, 2006 | Jonathan Ariel

[EternalHope]

This article is from an Israeli source, and has a lot of info. It is obvious from reading Israeli sourced news that there is disarray at the top. Given the chaotic situation over there I have no way of knowing how much of this specific article is true, and how much is simply letting off steam.

At a minimum, Olmert must find some cahones or his career is over. I just hope the damage can be limited.

Some senior officers have been mentioning the C-word in private conversations. They have been saying that a coup d'etat might be the only way to prevent an outcome in Lebanon that could embolden the Arab world to join forces with Syria and Iran in an all out assault on Israel, given the fact that such a development would be spurred entirely by the Arab and Moslem world's perception of Israel's leadership as weak, craven and vacillating, and therefore ripe for intimidation.

Yes, Olmert is a disaster. But this is an extremely inflammatory comment that, hopefully, goes too far. No way do we want to see a coup in Israel.

Seeing the once invincible IDF being stalemated by Hezbollah's 3,000 troops is a sure way to radiate an aura of weakness that in the Middle East could precipitate attacks by sharks smelling blood.

The author is certainly right about this.

[MAD-AS-HELL]

Looks like a job for GHWB and Clinton to tackle. Send them all over. Bush will take out the Hezzies but allow the regime to contiue in Iran and Clinton will go bomb the same asprin factory in Sudan again.

[Enterprise]

Bump

[AmericaUnited]

What a brilliant initial plan!!! The hezbos destroyed, Syria destroyed, and Iran humiliated.

[Enchante]

If this article is even 3/4 true (and it seems plausible to me, but I sure don't know), there ought to be a legal and constitutional way for the Knesset to shake up the leadership. Whether they will do so in terms of Israeli domestic politics, I have no idea. But if enough people in the Knesset know or can learn about how badly Olmert's screwed the pooch, I would hope that they can save the situation without anyone needing to talk about any coup or such.....

[EternalHope]

If this article is even 3/4 true (and it seems plausible to me, but I sure don't know), ...

That's the way I see it too.

[SE Mom]

Chilling.

And it makes perfect sense given what we've been observing.

Olmert is a disaster for his country.

[EternalHope]

Olmert is a disaster for his country.

And for the world.

[SE Mom]

I had that thought just as I was clicking "post"...

This is really beyond anything. Words fail.

[rbg81]

Interesting part regarding the talk of a Coup. Such an action would (temporarily) strip Israel of its democratically elected government. This, in turn, would have all the leftists foaming at the mouth that Israel is a fascist/terrorist state and are no better than Hezbollah. It would defintely be a PR fiasco.

[af_vet_1981]

What a brilliant initial plan!!! The hezbos destroyed, Syria destroyed, and Iran humiliated.

The Israeli electorate intervened on the side of the terroristim.

[Mo1]

.

[STARWISE]

They need Moshe Dayan and Golda clones .. now!

[goldstategop]

Olmert is going to pay the price politically when the war's over. The landscape has shifted in Israel to the extent that the convergence plan is dead. I don't think Israelis much care for the idea of an army that can't defeat a terrorist group in four weeks of warfare but is skilled at evicting Jews from their homes in a matter of hours.

(Go Israel, Go! Slap 'Em Down Hezbullies.)

[hlmencken3]

Rumors of a possible military coup d'etat in Israel, Olmert blaming the military, threats by 'settlement representatives' to withdraw members of the IDF from government control - never thought I'd see what is happening now in Israel!

[EternalHope]

...never thought I'd see what is happening now in Israel!

Neither did I.

[JasonC]

Yeppers. There is no way in heck the IDF planned this game of pattycake...

[george76]

Needs repeating.

Olmert is a disaster for his country...and the world.

[uncbob]

At a minimum, Olmert must find some cahones or his career is over.

Any much of a career available if the country doesn't survive

As they say countries fall from within

Elect a wimp and you get what you get

[Tallguy]

Golda was largely responsible for the hit Israel took in '73. Had she had the courage to pull the trigger pre-emptively, as had been done in '67, the Egyptians would never have gotten across the Suez.