Opinion
Ehud Barak: A Reality Check
Martin Sherman
Published: 27.05.07, 10:45
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15 Talkbacks for this article
1. An Excellent Analysis Of Barak.
Terry ,   Eilat, Israel   (05.27.07)
Barak is a self-centered, opportunistic, greedy, incompetent, & shady character, in other words, a great example of Israeli politicians & the perfect candidate for Labour.
2. BARAK
EM ,   Ra'anana   (05.27.07)
I beg to differ on a number of points. Barak was NOT responsible for the second intifada. If I'm not mistaken, that flared up as a tactical move by Arafat when Barak called his bluff in peace negotiations. We voting for our leaders to lead us to peace...but when they try to arrange it..the opposition (as you apparantly are) accuse them of being failure. And a lot of people are very happy that Barak had the guts to pull out our troops from Lebanon---after being bogged down for 18 years! No matter how it would have happened, there would have been people like you to complain that it was done wrong. We didn't belong there then, nor do we now. Had we stayed, just hundreds more of our soldiers would have been fodder for Hizbollah. After 18 years "inside" we did nothing to stop the growth of Hizbollah. You praise Barak for the very reasons we need someone like him in office...and I for one rather have Barak, a brilliant, courageous strategist leading us...than what we have today. And you and your political pundits should check againt whether Bibi was a "brilliant" foreign minister and highly successful finance minister - Looks more like Bibi's personal PR have blinded you too.
3. Peter Principle
rh ,   Modiin   (05.27.07)
Barak is an excellent example of the Peter Principle:"In a hierarchy every employee tends to rise to his level of incompetence"
4. people like EM #2 explain how Kadima got 29 seats
aaron ,   ra'anana   (05.27.07)
some people just DON'T GET IT
5. Well put!
Concerned Israeli   (05.27.07)
I totally agree, let's hope this article did not come too late and that Barak will not be elected in the Labor primaries
6. The man doesnt have what it takes
zionist forever   (05.27.07)
Barak thinks a little to much of his politcal achivements. He constrantly goes on about how succesfull he was in negotiating peace. The man is not primeminister material unless you want somebody who is willing to say to the arabs you tell us what you. The man has no interest in the countries interest he is like Livni a career oportunist whose first priority is his carerr and legacy the country comes second.
7. #2, a very interesting interpretation of history
Danny   (05.27.07)
Firstly, the second intifada was caused by a mixture of Barak ignoring the Palestinians whilst he was busy convincing the Syrians that his word was worthless - which it was, Arafat and underlyings using the excuse of Sharon's visit to make a violent uprising and last but certainly not least, the Lebanon pullout which showed that Israel cannot stand casualties, it leaders are weak and negotiations get you nothing and violence gets you everything. Barak also ran away from South Lebanon, I wonder how many people would have voted for a pullout if they knew the direct result would be the Second Intifada and Second Lebanon War. How bridges did Israel burn when it abandoned SLA? You think Hizbollah would have been able to install thousands of Katyushas and bunkers if Israel was still there? What Dr Sherman has forgotten to mention is how as Cheif of Staff he was directly responsible for bringing suicide bombing into Israel and the link between Hamas and Hizbollah that we are seeing the fruit of today. He was responsible for expelling the 415 Hamas members to Lebanon allowing them to hook up and learn from Hizbollah. This guy is incompetent and almost single-handed responsible for most of the diasasters of the last 15 years, he had his 15 mins and should now be forgotten.
8. All I want to say is
jack bauer ,   usa   (05.27.07)
Barak pulled out of south lebanon now look where we stand today!
9. Ehud
ed ,   London UK   (05.27.07)
Perhaps Barak will inspire a 1 sided pull out from teh west bank too, and hence no place in israel will be safe from kassams
10. Doesn't a track record of failure mean anything anymore?
Glenn ,   Canada   (05.27.07)
Maybe Labor estimates the electorate to be clueless and gullible and that Barak or the other Labor candidates can finish the job by giving away the WB, Jerusalem and the Golan without a whimper. At least Olmert should be given credit for making some noises and for promising a referendum before any more land is given up. One thing that many Israeli politicians have is a complete lack of shame or even embarrassment for failure. Why are standards so very low in this regard? Jews waited 2000 years and suffered all kinds of cruelty while waiting to go back home. And now, that they have their home, they entrust their future to incompetents and do not seem to mind giving away their land in exchange for false promises of peace. Ehud Barak thinks that he is the leader that Israelis, in their apathy, deserve.
11. Retread
Dan Friedman ,   NYC USA   (05.28.07)
Mr. Sherman is being too kind. The fact that this clown's name is going around as a possible PM is more than just a bad joke. It shows that the Israeli political system is just a game of musical chairs. The players are all the same and just rotate after each debacle. Now it's Barak and Bibi's turn again. But more importantly, it also shows that Israel's hopelessly lazy and complacent people can be counted on to be led around like bleeting sheep. They have only themselves to blame for the stone wall they've been led into.
12. Yeah...Jolly Barak has some HUTZPAH...but
malcolm   (05.28.07)
c'mon . There's so much money and power up for grabs. How can he resist?
13. The strategist of sultan yacoub
Ilan ,   Ariel   (05.28.07)
Before we laud Barak as a strategist we should remember the examples where his decisions led to loss of life and military defeat. He has gone past the Peter's principle even before he was chief of staff
14. History Lessons
EM ,   Ra'anana   (05.28.07)
I'm intrigued by your interpretation of history. According to you...Barak is "single handedly responsible for most of the disasters of the last 15 years" With bombastic comments like that how do you expect to be taken seriously? If you want to talk real history...then you should know that Hizbollah didn't exist until we went into Lebanon in 82. We went in to "wipe out" the PLO...and we got Hizbollah. And while we sat there for 18 years...Hizbollah grew stronger. We had to pull out of Lebanon, it was politically, morally and strategically correct..and the fact that it was done without one of our soldiers killed was brilliant! I shudder to think what could have been if we "pulled out" under fire. Then you have the audacity to blame Barak for causing the 2nd Intifada and all the suicide bombs! Given all you accuse Barak of causing..then you also claim he is "incompetent". I prefer Barak's kind of incompetence...which got us out of the Lebanon quagmire, and closer to pease....then your misguided reasoning any day.
15. ISRAELI ELECTIONS
ROLAND ,   JERUSALEM   (05.30.07)
THANK....THAT I AM NOT PRIVILEDGED TO VOTE IN THE UPCOMING ELECTIONS...AS AN OUTSIDER I AM WITNESSING THAT MANY CANDIDATES [VIZ THE OLD GUARD ]ARE SLAMMING EACH OTHER AND ARE TRYING TO BOOST THEIR SELF ESTEEM.IS THIS THE BEGINNING OF A TREND OR IS THIS THE USUAL WAY POLITICS ARE CONDUCTED HERE? IS,NT IT ABOUT TIME TO GIVE THE YOUNGER GENERATION A CHANCE. TO CLEAN UP THE MESS AS A NEW BROOM SWEEPS CLEANER.
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