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Go Go strip club owner Kobi Mizrahi outside of the club this week
Last update - 11:40 05/03/2009
ANALYSIS / Would someone tell the strip club-visiting admiral his career is over?
By Amos Harel, Haaretz Correspondent
Tags: IDF, Navy, Israel News 

It is always fascinating when a political or military career comes to an end. It is a bit like the moments before and after a car accident. Is the outgoing head of the navy, Major General Eliezer Marom, the only person who does not recognize that his tenure has essentially come to an end? How much time will pass before someone, probably a lieutenant general, will pull him aside that tell him that the time has come to pack his things?

In his official response Tuesday night, which he made through the IDF Spokesman, Marom apologized and insisted that his appearance at a strip club had been a one-time folly. Even though last night he continued to make that claim, Haaretz has evidence to the contrary.

This is a major gamble for Marom. At any moment some witness may emerge - a driver, a woman, etc. and present a different picture. How reasonable is it to assume that this was a first for a person who is 50 years old?
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Those who decided to appoint Marom to head the Navy, after he had already left the service, knew he had a "colorful personality." Some aspects of his record were considered before he was brought back, a move that stemmed in part from the lack of options available to Defense Minister Ehud Barak and Chief of Staff Gabi shkenazi.

Since the affair broke two days ago, many of the former and current senior officers are doing their best to keep their distance from the commander. The media has had trouble finding colleagues to step up and defend his behavior.

Still, the public assault on General Marom is both sanctimonious and self-righteous. It would be interesting to learn whether all those pelting the general with stones now would emerge clean and shiny from a detailed examination of their private lives.

Nonetheless, Marom will have to step down in the end, at least for the simple reason that appearances must be kept. A commander of soldiers who are sent to battle (as well as the female soldiers in the front or the back office) cannot be seen spending his free time in such a fashion.

Beyond the damage to its image, the Navy will now face another problem. They do not have many candidates to succeed him. The previous commander, General David Ben-Bassat, had been appointed as a last resort, and was slow at stepping down after a missile struck the destroyer INS Hanit during the Second Lebanon War. In fact, Ashkenazi had to push him out. Since then, Marom forced two senior brigadier generals out of the Navy.

At this rate they are going to have to bring back Ami Ayalon, which might not be such a bad idea. Ayalon was brought into the Shin Bet after the Rabin assassination. In any case, after his political failure he might be looking for a job.


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      1.   i strongly disagree. i do not attend such places however he must 03:56  |  ralph 05/03/09
      2.   Why shouldnt he go to a strip-club? He`s an adult! 04:20  |  Free Gilad Shalit 05/03/09
      3.   Let him keep his job 05:02  |  Josh 05/03/09
      4.   The press and commentators invade privacy and act outraged 06:23  |  dyinglikeflies 05/03/09
      5.   Would some one tell the writer of this article ...career is over 07:22  |  Jew 05/03/09
      6.   Strip Club 08:47  |  Fredy Ross 05/03/09
      7.   big deal 08:51  |  robert 05/03/09
      8.   appearances? 09:25  |  A.M. 05/03/09
      9.   Are strip clubs illegal? 09:34  |  Ilan 05/03/09
      10.   I agree with 1,2, and 3 09:52  |  Proud Israeli 05/03/09
      11.   He was doing nothing against the law 09:52  |  An Adult 05/03/09
      12.   What a bunch of BS! 10:06  |  Nadav 05/03/09
      13.   La Dolce Vita 10:06  |  Shimon Cleopas 05/03/09
      14.   No candidates? Why not take me: 10:09  |  Andreas 05/03/09
      15.   THE LEFT IS PRUDISH? 10:10  |  FOX 05/03/09
      16.   an "officer" and a "gentleman"? 10:21  |  eric 05/03/09
      17.   La Dolce Vita 10:21  |  Shimon Cleopas 05/03/09
      18.   #4, Nagav 11:10  |  Fritz 05/03/09
      19.   Haaretz 11:17  |  Serge 05/03/09
      20.   i`m sure he was just doing some NAVEL research 11:23  |  J.A.S. 05/03/09
      21.   Fox, you miss the point. 11:32  |  Zev Davis 05/03/09
      22.   #21, Zev Davis 11:50  |  Fritz 05/03/09
      23.   find me one normal secular guy 12:41  |  rich 05/03/09
      24.   Amazing free advertising for the strip club! 12:55  |  Kenny 05/03/09
      25.   Stip Clubs are Taboo !?! 13:11  |  Shmuel 05/03/09
      26.   So what? 15:13  |  Johnny 05/03/09
      27.   Prime Minister Rudd of Australia went to a strip club - big deal 15:52  |  Rafael of Sydney 05/03/09
      28.   Zev, can the man do the job?f 16:31  |  FOX 05/03/09
      29.   Great role models to live up to 18:50  |  nina 05/03/09
      30.   Nina #29 23:32  |  FOX 05/03/09
      31.   chiney 03:33  |  mk 06/03/09
      32.   fox #30 13:36  |  nina 06/03/09
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