Opinion  Nahum Barnea
The sin of arrogance
Nahum Barnea
Published: 30.04.07, 10:50
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17 Talkbacks for this article
1. Yes....Yes...YES...The Arrogance, NO OTHER
King of Israel   (04.30.07)
This is it. Thats all. Done. 100 % right. The only truth. THIS CAN BE A BEGINNIG OF THE HOPE TO RISE, ONE LAST TIME. love Atilla Karagözoğlu King of Israel
2. The overwhelming majority is sick of all the politicians
David ,   Karmiel, Israel   (04.30.07)
Yes, there is no doubt that the overwhelming majority of the public doesn't want Ehud Olmert and it doesn't want Amir Peretz. The question is who do they want? The political machine in this country is geared up to serve the politicians and not the people. Fingers are being pointed at Olmert and Peretz with a lot of fallout on others, both in Kadima and Labor. Let us not forget that the "Eyes Closed on Lebanon" policy after Barak’s 2000 pullout was a failure of the Likud Government of Ariel Sharon. The "holier thou" attitude of the "Right" led by the Likud is an attempt to cover up their failure in 6 years of Government to keep tabs on Hezbollah and what it was doing in South Lebanon. The major guilty party in the intelligence gathering debacle is the Knesset Security and Foreign Affairs Committee and its Chairman, Dr. Yuval Steinitz, MK. What were they doing all that time? Indeed, heads must roll and there is no doubt that Olmert should have the decency to follow Golda Meir's example. Peretz's incompetence is a direct result of the stupidity of the Labor Part in electing a “strike organizer” to the head of the party and allowing him to force himself in the Defense Seat. No doubt, many are to blame but one must ask if a civilian Prime Minister of Israel, who was and is surrounded by Chiefs of Staff, Generals and so many experts and who failed to consult them, relying only on his untried civilian Defense Minister and his egotistical Chief of Staff, can be allowed to continue in that position. Sadly, lives were lost. That is war and we were attacked and bombed. This is not Ehud Olmert’s fault. His failure was and is twofold: lack of leadership and lack of common sense!
3. Is Anyone STILL in doubt Israel was defeated by Nasrallah?
Hani ,   Palestinian Vagabond   (04.30.07)
Come on folks. Rise and shine, the new Middle East has arrived. Zionists shall never again attack any Arab country, because they're inherintly cowardly and clumsy.
4. the whole LEFT is arrogant !! Oslo was PURE ARROGANCE.
Moshe ,   Beit Shemesh   (04.30.07)
when the right said the "stop, Arafat is a terrorist" the left (supported by our Pravda-like press) said "oh, stop you worry too much - we need to take a chance. You are old school" etc etc etc. The supreme court is SUPREMELY arrogant by legistating from the bench. even the term "elites" (for a bunch of 'useful idiots') is arrogant
5. hani#3,don't you have anything less retarded to say?
Keren ,   SP-now in Israel   (04.30.07)
6. Remember Gush Katif - this is direct payment
Harry   (04.30.07)
7. Olmert and the Turkish Option
cato the younger ,   USA   (04.30.07)
If Olmert and Peretz refuse to resign, then, for the survival of the Jewish State, competent elements of the military must step in, remove them, install persons with the ability and the WILL to confront the growing existential threat from Gaza, Hizbollah, Syria, etc. This is the Turkish option. Since all else has failed, this appears to be the only option.It can be done quietly, woth no grand announcements or fanfare.
8. Oslo & Olmert-Livni hunta
Itzik ,   Haifa   (04.30.07)
Since Oslo was never investigated by Sharon, Olmert-Livni hunta believed that they can whatever they want. We needed com'ty to investigate Peres-Beilin. If they were in jail we wouldn't had Oslo intifada and Lebanon war. Unless Olmert-Livni end up in jail (Beilin and Peretz are small potatoes), we will get another intifada with much worse results.
9. Pruning of failures
Brod ,   USA   (04.30.07)
Those responsible for failures should step down and not wait for the carpet to be pulled from under their feet. This is called doing the responsible thing by taking responsibility for one's failures. A ship going through stormy seas needs a new Captain, who is brilliant and strong, at the helm to ensure that the ship reaches the shores safely.
10. mrs thatcher was forced to resign by her own party
johanna ,   tsfat   (04.30.07)
when she had made a botch up with the poll tax and the whole country was against her. she was replaced by john major in an internal conservative party election. he continued as prime minister and then won the next election, with a reduced majority. in '97 the labour party won after 18 years of conservative rule and there was a "new britain" and a "new labour". doesn't anyone in olmert's party have the courage to get rid of him,if he won't go quietly then he must go kicking and screaming.
11. Arrogance + Stupidity = Olmert
Gary A. MD ,   Boston MA USA   (04.30.07)
Olmert is a walking disgrace. He is a monkey cleverly disguised as a human being.
12. Hani - but but but....
moishe ,   usa   (04.30.07)
Hani - Once again you have misread and miscalculated. Now that everyone in Israel is publically admitting what went wrong, (in a free and democratic way-unlike in your regime)you can bet next time there is war, those mistakes will not be made, and the enemy will be PROPERLY pulverized, not half-a**ed like in last summer. For your sake, you'd better not be under those crosshairs the next time.
13. The full resposibility lies with the Left
Alex ,   LA, USA   (04.30.07)
As Winograd said "political and military leaders decided that the age of wars has ended". This is the position of the Left and their Leaders Olmert/Peres/Livni/Beilin.
14. LOL Mert & his side kick monkey Peretz
Jason ,   Israel   (04.30.07)
Let's all unify together, Meretz & Mafdal & evey one in between and Throw the 2 losers the f*** OUT. The sooner the better.
15. Lebanon Infrastructure Destroyed; many fleeing
Semsem ,   New York, USA   (05.01.07)
Billions of Lebanese infrastructyure has been destroyed and it will take years to rebuild. The educated masses are fleeing. If that's VICTORY they can keep it.
16. Why bring Streisand into the fray?
EM ,   Ra'anana   (05.01.07)
Whatever intelligent value this article might have had, was lost with the repugnant analogy using Barbra (this is the way she spells it) Streisand's face and nose.
17. Earth to Johanna
Daniel ,   Formerly Israel   (05.03.07)
If Olmert is kicked out by his own party and new elections are held will you vote for Kadima? Probably not, and neither will most of the rest of the country, so most of the Kadima MKs will lose their jobs and the rest will lose their power. Do you really think they'll risk that over so small a thing as responsibility?
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