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Report: Drop in number of IDF officers due to lack of motivation
Yossi Yehoshua
Published: 11.11.07, 13:18
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1. Gee, look at the role models...
JPS ,   Efrat   (11.11.07)
The rot starts at the top and works its way down. If the people running the country are perceived as pigs feeding at the trough, why should we expect the cream of the crop to aspire to being pigs? The role model of the Knesset member is totally that of a self-serving, self-centered pig who is concerned for the narrow group s/he represents. Let the reforms start at the Knesset. A little bit of accountability by public servants would go a long way to impressing the populace and instilling the role model of serving others, rather than yourself.
2. why be an officer?
yosef ,   israel   (11.11.07)
Brigdaier General Dr. Israel Eldad had his arm broken by Yassam shock troops under orders of draft dodger Ehud Olmert. The widow and orphans of hero Major Ro'ee Klein are expecting to lose their home because of draft dodger Ehud Olmert. In Israel, it is much better to be a draft dodger than an officer.
3. Playing follow the leader ...
Terry ,   Eilat, Israel   (11.11.07)
Can you expect ordinary citizens to make sacrifices when we see the shining example of our political leadership, both right & left, demonstrate the most vile self-interest to the exclusion of all else? The rot in society goes from top to bottom - so until we see a complete change of leadership & political reform, this process cannot be reversed. And a few changes in our educational system wouldn't hurt either.
4. Garbage
Antonio ,   Haifa   (11.11.07)
It's just that more and more people realize that you can't fight a war if the army wouldn't let you do your job and shoot the enemies dead and would rather put it's soldiers in danger than go in and do real damage that enemy will remember for ages.
5. after the criticism/rush to blame, what do you expect??
mike ,   israel (formerly usa   (11.11.07)
if there are any smart people in the army, you would expect them to see what happened after the war, take note, and avoid any position which will result in public accusations of blame across the media. for that reason, the smart ones (if they are truly smart) generally avoid the positions they are needed the most, and less suitable candidates fill them.
6. Avoiding the real source of blame
Raymond from DC ,   Washington, DC USA   (11.11.07)
In 1979 President Carter described a "malaise" in the country, but failed to recognize that the real cause was his own failed leadership. So too, here, we find a "malaise" in the IDF, but the source is again misplaced. The IDF is tasked with defending the nation based on the principles of intelligence, deterrence, and defeating the enemy. But these missions have been undermined by the political demands of the "peace process". The enemy is, at best, "contained", not defeated, and the conflict is "managed". Operations are held hostage to a "green light" from the US, cancelled if the EU gets upset. Forces are trained to support disengagements instead of confronting a real enemy. Soldiers risk their lives to capture militants, only to see them released as "gestures". Hizballah is rearming for the next round, but can't be touched because of the upcoming Annapolis meeting . Given such politicization, is it any wonder one sees a decline in IDF morale?
7. As my daddy always said
Al   (11.11.07)
"If you'll want to live you'll learn to fight. If you'll want to eat you'll learn to work. If you'll want to achieve you'll learn to sacrifice." My Dad survived Auschwitz, the Nazis, fought in the War of Liberation, raised a Jewish Family and never lost his YIDDISHKEIT. He put on Tfillin till his last days and he always had hope. That my friends were the kind of Jews that moved mountains. Suck it up, be tough and be a nation or you will be dust. Finally never ever throw a Jew out of his home or G-d will crush you like ants.
8. Soldiers are OK- Government and generals self serving
Eliyahu   (11.11.07)
Stupid idiots really think we're going to believe that lack of logic? The Lebanese war showed that the generals and the government are willing to sacrifice the soldiers in order to put forward their political agendas, self serving goals, and personal finances. Gush Katif was the generals and government telling the soldiers to become robots without opinions, or morals. Gee, and now young men and women aren't enthusiastic about serving? Why don't we take a survey: How many new recruits are enthusiastically FOR active service against settlers?
9. olmert: the enemies greatest asset; more damage to Israel...
dante ,   uk   (11.11.07)
olmert is the gift that keeps on giving...to Israel's enemies. the first PM to allow himself to be pushed into war and to lose. and, the way that he lost showed the absolute emptiness of olmert and his government and the desk jockies in the IDF command echalon. all bluster and promises, no substance. so, it is not surprising that young people are skeptical of service under the hollow men. they must be swept from office and their stain removed from Israel's military, political and social life.
10. Why invest years to be used as a political pawn
Ariel ,   Judean Hills   (11.11.07)
who wants to invest years in an army career if they'll cynically use you to kick your brothers out of their homes? If you refuse and you're a regular soldier, you'll do some jail time, but if you're an officer they'll have you over a barrel.
11. to the senior officer
JL ,   israel   (11.11.07)
of course this generation is self serving...they grew up and watched as your generation used this country and its citizens like toilet paper...your generation ransacked our nation..lied to us..used our sons as human sheilds to further your lousey careers..go to hell you condencending piece of whatever
12. 3# ,Terry, sorry but this time I disagree with you
Judah ,   Golan Heights,ISRAEL   (11.11.07)
First let it be said that like you I do not like our present government. Yet this will NOT stop me from doing my milium as an officer in the I.D.F.(medical officer). When I was called up to serve during the last war in Lebanon it was a great sacrifice to me. I left my wife and one week old baby alone in a bomb shelter. And if there is a war with Iran and their friends during Purim(like you predicted) I will leave my now one and a half year old baby and pregnant wife and gladly serve. I do not serve to support Olmert but tp protect my family and the Jewish nation.
13. Don't forget the disengagement
SA ,   Jerusalem   (11.11.07)
There are a slew of religious soldiers -- a substantial percentage of combat recruits -- who would now never consider officers training after the disengagement. The government and army did it to themselves.
14. When will Tohar Neshek apply to decent treatment of soldiers
elie   (11.11.07)
I emigrated to Israel as an upcoming computer engineer. I served on national boards in Israel and with various units requesting my skills, the army put me in Nun-Mem (anti-aircraft). I served in Lebanon in the first war. When my first child was due, my wife was hospitalize 3 times with complications of the pregnancy. I put in a "Val-tam", request to defer my miluim (reserve duty) along with all documents of my wife's hospitalizations. The army answer was "Zabashcha" - your problem. The assignment officer lied to me. The officers on the base lied about the incident. I filed a complaint and never got a satisfactory response. The decision was made never to "hefker" my family to such people again. I returned to USA and have worked for several companies as chief engineer, in charge of corporate computer operations in the entire USA for those companies. p.s. Thanks Varda Tavik
15. put charadim in their place
larry ,   chicago   (11.11.07)
and you would have a better army. why not combine this article and the one on the 40 charadim who are making a contribution to the country??
16. 14# Elie, sorry you gave up
Judah ,   Golan Heights,ISRAEL   (11.11.07)
I could fill 10 emails concerning mistreatment that I have suffered since my aliyah 7 years ago. Yet unlike you I am staying and raising a family here and working hard to make the Jewish homeland a better place. In reality, Elie, you are just a quitter.
17. #16 Yehuda, I will fight but I will not allow my wife and ch
elie   (11.11.07)
#16 Yehuda, I served in Lebanon and am a fighter but I will not allow my wife and children to suffer at the hands of "Pekidim Zutarim" and others in the army who are incompetent and/or irresponsible and they are supposed to be on our side. At least we know how to deal with our enemies. But what do you do to defend yourself from people who are supposed to be on your side? By the way some of these "brilliant" soldiers assigned me to guard duty in Lebanon I using a Belgian .752 mag where I was responsible for the safety of my comrades but never received any training on that weapon!!!!! No complaints would help and no training requests were honored.
18. 17,Elie, why are you on this Israeli website?
Judah ,   Golan Heights,ISRAEL   (11.11.07)
Probally because you still care about the Jewish Nation. And if this is true then can't you understand that leaving is NOT the answer. Instead staying and making a change is what counts no matter how difficult it may be. If every Jew made yerida like you did then Israel would cease to exist. After the crusades, the spanish inquisition,.pograms and the holocaust history has taught us that Jews MUST have a country of their own. Elie, I hope that one day you and your family will return. I would be happy to have you as my neighbour.
19. #17, you sure did get back training
Danny   (11.12.07)
it is 7.62 not .752. How much training did you feel you needed to use a machine gun? Aren't we lucky the 1948 and 1973 generation werent of your type.
20. Trading the popularity and comraderie of being a senior
Rivkah   (11.14.07)
enlisted for the loneliness of being an officer is a big transition most do not want to take. Officers are on call 24/7 and the pay is less than that of senior enlisteds for a long time. At least that is the way it is in the American military. Troops love their senior enlisteds and hate their officers because of envy. Gesenius' Hebrew Lexicon defines a prince as a military commander, a member of the royal family (rulers), and a priest. These are professions that in some ways are set apart from other people, so they are lonely occupations since one must always be on guard from those who hate them. I would not have encouraged my husband to get a commission in retrospect because that meant leaving his senior enlisted position and entering a snake pit of what former US Defense Secretary Robert McNamara called a jungle. Practise destroying each other before destroying the enemy is what the commissioned services are all about. There is little comraderie in competing for promotions at that level.
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