Opposition leader Netanyahu: Olmert is incompetent, unfit to lead
Haaretz
Israel is being led by an unfit and incompetent prime minister, opposition leader Benjamin Netanyahu said Thursday, one day after the release of the Winograd report on the failures of the government and the military during the Second Lebanon War.
Netanyahu’s Likud party convened a meeting in Tel Aviv Thursday to discuss the implications of the damning report. Netanyahu spoke at a press conference held after the meeting, saying that Defense Minister Ehud Barak knows that Prime Minister Ehud Olmert is unfit to lead, and that the public expects him to fulfill his promise and prevent the current leadership from remaining in power.
“The government is in charge of the military, and it failed miserably, that is the main conclusion of the report, as Winograd said yesterday,” Netanyahu added. “The [Winograd] committee concluded ‘we assign personal blame to the three captains.’ While two of the captains [former defense minister Amir Peretz and former chief of staff Dan Halutz] have stepped down, the political echelon and its leader [Olmert] refuse to take responsibility and exhibit personal integrity and leadership – which is what the decisive majority of the public expects them to do.”
According to Netanyahu, Israel’s citizens are demanding a new and worthy leader, and that will only come about via early elections. He refused to answer reporters’ questions at the conclusion of the press conference.
Olmert allies: PM won’t quit
Olmert told allies on Thursday that he would not step down as prime minister as the inquiry findings had granted him a reprieve and a boost for U.S.-backed peace talks with the Palestinians.
Wild Thing’s comment……..
I know it’s tough to wage war on an enemy that considers the death of its own children a victory. But the ceasefire that Israel did and we were shocked by it was totally the wrong thing to do. It is past now, but still that kind of thing is wrong in so many ways.
I think not fighting terrorists gets terror to come back and bite you, bite you even with greater bites. The support and arming of the terrorists is backed by Iran and Syria, which have as their goal the destruction of Israel.
Poor Israel. Three major religions came out of her and we’re spitting on her. She’s a great lady, like the US and we’re suppose to be friends.
And the nincompoopy Palestinians who know that they and the Israelis are bound by blood are being stubborn, obstinate and awful to their cousins.
And Ohmert is not right for PM of Israel. He only got the job because the last guy had a hemorrhagic stroke and is basically a vegetable.
‘W’ snubbed Netanyahu a few weeks ago and did NOT meet with him in Israel! Ben’s brother was a major IDF commando and killed in the raid in Entebbe Africa when the Israeli Air France passengers were rescued… Ben is a PATRIOT and educated in the US at Penn University.
Since W admitted he’s forgetful from his alcoholism… Remind W of Psalm 33:12 that reads “Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord; and the people whom he hath chosen for his own inheritance.”
Israel had a chance to kick some real butt but Olmert held them back. He must have been taking lessons from Bush on how to fight a PC war.
When it comes to fighting a war, us and Israel need a Commander-in-Chief who will pull the shackles off and unleash the dogs upon the enemy.
When Olmert, Bush and Rice got together and decided to halt Israel’s military operations in Lebanon, I knew it was a major mistake. This Winograd Report confirms that error, one of the few errors Israel has ever made militarily. Israel paid a price in casualties for nothing. Even one of the Hezbolah leaders ststed that Israel was within days of a victory.
Olmert is more of a petty dictator now than a true leader. That the two Israeli military leaders stepped down and Olmert won’t is a sign of a man with at least one major character flaw. Israel may need to put one of her fine snipers to work!
Ohlmert like Bush was trying to run a PC war. And look where it got them. Same ballpark different season. Now Bush is selling weapons to our “Friends” The Saudi’s ??
Bush will be remembered as the Republican version of Jimmy Carter.
Obviously history hasn’t taught us or the Israeli’s a thing. The 1968 ceasefire in Vietnam only allowed the enemy to resupply, it didn’t slow the attacks. The battle of Khe Sanh (Jan. 21, 1968) was the prelude to the Tet Offensive of January 31, 1968, a negotiated cease-fire began on January 30, 1968 for the Vietnamese new year of Tet, which falls on the first new moon of January. On January 31, 1968 the VC(NVA) broke that ceasefire with the’68 Tet offensive, the citizens of HUE alone paid a terrible price for relaxing the guard where at least 2,800 civilians and prisoners of war were murdered, some buried alive. A monster atrocity by Communists, but whom the left passed over “in charity”, hardly denounced as crimes against humanity.
Makes the horrors of the panties to the head shot at Abu Ghraib kind pale doesn’t it?
The Israeli’s adhered to a UN brokered ceasefire in Lebanon in 2006, Israel made concessions and what’s that I hear, incoming!!!! Iranian supplied Russian made 122mm rockets with a minimum range of 12.7 miles / 20.4 km, some have a 25-to 115-kilometer range and carrying warheads up to 30 kg (66 lb) being launched from Lebanon and Gaza into the soft civilian targets well inside Israel’s borders. A standard M-26A1 fragmentary grenade uses 2.5 oz of TNT and weighs 0.45 kg so you can get an idea of the damage these can wreak. If you have ever been on the recieving end you can appreciate what terror they can bring. Ohmert lets his people take this abuse by the muzzies and sucks up the the muzzy supporting UN.
But what the hell they are only Jews. “According to Netanyahu, Israel’s citizens are demanding a new and worthy leader ” I can’t for the life of me understand why.
Now my fellow countrymen want to elect a Communist or a muhammedan for their president. I hate to be so cynical but do we deserve any better than Ohmert?
Israel sacrificed it’s security with Ehud Olmert. Now, the United States is trying to do the same thing, sacrificing our security, with a Hillary Clinton or Barack Obama. If ether one of them gets to become President the country deserves everything that happens to it for stupidly electing one of them.
With sadness, I’m not sure the Isreali’s have figured out what they have done to themselves. It must be a liberal thing. It blinds one to reality.
GOD’S chosen people aren’t Hamas, PLO, Hezbollah nor Islamofascists nor Communists! There are no OTHER gods but God Almighty – period! Pastor John Hagee for President in 2012!!!
Lynn, yes I feel so badly about how Israel. They need a really strong leader.
Darth, yes, that really made me upset when Bush snubbed Netanyahu. Just like the Clinton’s snubbed Netanyahu when they were in the White House and decided to ONLY meet with their buddy Arafat. grrrrrr
drstrangeloveb52isok, good Bible verse thank you.
Bob I agree so much. I would hate to be a soldier and have to fight a PC war. Or even worse to have to stop when we were doing so good.
Tom, wow and then they made them stop.
“Even one of the Hezbolah leaders ststed that Israel was within days of a victory.”
I felt so horrible for the IDF when they had to stop. Thanks Tom.
Mark, yes and he sure is working hard to be the next Carter in history. grrrrrrr
Jack, exactly, if Israel keeps electing leaders like Olmert and we keep doing the same thing nothing will ever chnage.Two Bush’s for us and the Clinton’s and Israel did pretty much the same thing.
Les, I beleive you are right, blindness. It sure is sad, heartbreaking.
Darth, yes they are God’s chosen people. Prayers for Israel always.