If Sharon were with us now<br><br> - Haaretz

Last update - 13:21 02/01/2007

If Sharon were with us now

By Bradley Burston

For Israelis, the year 2006 ended four days after it began.

It ended when Dr. Shlomo Mor-Yosef of Hadassah hospital first walked out to announce that Ariel Sharon had suffered what he called a significant cerebral incident.

	Advertisement

So began a day, a month, in the end, a year of held breath.

Ariel Sharon, the man whom half of us always loved to hate, and whom the other half always hated to love, the one indispensable man in a country where everyone is treated as eminently disposable, is lost to us forever.

We cannot bring ourselves to admit that we are lost without him. But, for a year now, we have proven just that.

The nation as a whole suffered a cerebral incident on January 4. The nation suffered paralysis, loss of function. The nation has yet to recover consciousness. The nation lost its ability to act coherently, speak coherently, think coherently. It could no longer see as far as the horizon, and it could no longer see what was right in front of its eyes.

The best that the current prime minister can manage, is to act like the shyster lawyer representing the prime minister. The best that the defense minister can manage, is to act like the shop steward for the Defense Ministry employees' union. The best that the finance minister can manage, is to make certain that the poverty is the only certain inheritance of more and more of the young, and the only certain destiny of more and more of the elderly, the infirm, the marginal, the powerless.

We have lost the ability to avoid wars, just as we have lost the ability to win them.

Our leaders have lost their shame at their inability to govern. They have lost their shame at their willingness to sacrifice anything, including their constituents, for the sake of their own terms.

A year after the stroke, there is something unquestionably pathetic about wondering what might have been, if Sharon were still vital, still prime minister, still with us.

Just as there is something unquestionably pathetic about the way Israel is, without him.

So, what might have been?

The war in the north might never have taken place

First, the January Amona outpost evacuation debacle, in which Sharon's replacement Ehud Olmert appeared to the Arab world as insecure, clueless in tactical and strategic military command, and, above all, inexperienced, might not have occurred, and certainly not in the brutally incompetent manner in which it was ordered and conducted.

Secondly, Sharon's Kadima party might have gained 34-36 seats in general elections in April. This could have assured that the party would retain the defense ministry cabinet portfolio. This, in turn, could have meant that Israel would effectively have several competent defense ministers, rather than none.

Sharon, himself a former divisional commander, overall military commander of Gaza, and senior intelligence officer in the northern command, was much more likely than Olmert to be able to discern and dispel what some officers have called the whorehouse atmosphere of nonchalance that characterized parts of the army, especially in the north, at a time when front-line units should have heeded intelligence warnings.

It is not unlikely that along with Sharon, functioning as an effective defense minister, that either former Shin Bet chief Avi Dichter or ex-defense minister Shaul Mofaz would have held the formal post, with former IDF brigadier general and policy chief for the territories Efraim Sneh as deputy. With greater supervision over the army, and especially over the >intelligence services, it is reasonable to speculate that the army would have been much better prepared for Hamas and Hezbollah plans to kidnap soldiers.

As a result,

IDF soldiers Gilad Shalit, Ehud Goldwasser and Eldad Regev might be free

Had the three not been kidnapped, the war might never have broken out, and certainly not in the way it did, with the army going into battle with its emergency arsenals empty, insufficient food and water for the troops, a circuitous and self-contradictory command system, a marked inability to evacuate wounded soldiers, and unspecified and unattainable goals.

Moreover, it is reasonable to assume that Ariel Sharon, given his experience in the first Lebanon war, would have done everything in his power to have prevented a second one.

Had the war not taken place,

Israel's economy, fueled by tourism, could have boomed, boosting employment and allowing Kadima's Labor partners to concentrate on addressing social problems.

If Kadima had been stronger following the elections, Sharon would have been in a position to dictate terms to Labor Chairman Amir Peretz, who could have been forced to accept an expanded welfare ministerial position, there to press for a reversal of the nation's pressing social concerns.

Fatah might still control the Palestinian Authority

Sharon, himself running hard for re-election on a centrist ticket, might have pulled a political rabbit from the hat, offering Mahmoud Abbas, Fatah, and the Palestinians as a whole a major surprise gesture in the form of a mass prisoner release, an aid and economic cooperation package, an international peacekeeping force to counter Qassam attacks, and a diplomatic horizon that might have leveraged Israel's Gaza withdrawal into demonstrable gains for Gazans.

Sharon might well have convinced both George Bush and Mahmoud Abbas that it was a blunder to hold Palestinian elections in late January, and that the vote should be postponed for several months, allowing Fatah and Abbas to go into elections in a position of relative strength.

Enough.

Now, a year on, this is the extent of what we have left:

Might have. Could have. Should have.

Did not.

On New Years 2006, before it was too late, there was an uncomfortable suspicion in Israel that Ariel Sharon was the last real leader we had.

One long, bad year later, that suspicion turns out to have been all too true.

___________________

January 4, 2006:

A prayer for the prime minister

Recent blogs:

The Archbishop's guide to Muslim intolerance

Jews aren't supposed to love Christmas

Test Yourself: The Mideast in 10 self-deceptions or less

Jews who make Satan look good

___________________

The guiding principles of the talkback forum for this article will be mutual respect and openness to dialogue. Participants, even if they rule out, dismiss or oppose coexistence, must, within the confines of this forum, practice it.

Censorship will be unapologetic.

Political orientation will have absolutely no bearing on whether a comment is posted or rejected.

The following will be grounds for deletion:

1. Racist remarks, as well as slurs on the basis of religion, ethnicity and gender.
2. Use of the terms Nazi, Hitler, to describe the actions and policies of Israelis, Palestinians or other parties to the Israel-Arab conflict.
3. Disparaging remarks, personal attacks, vulgarities and profanities directed at other participants in the forum.
4. Advocacy of violence against individuals or religious, ethnic or racial groups, including statements which may be construed as urging attacks on leaders, officials, security forces or civilians.

Bookmark to del.icio.us


	Disappointing tapas
	The quality of the food at Paco tapas bar isn't good enough to compel a second taste.


	MySpace wants you
	Most Israeli entrepreneurs secretly wish for generous purchase offers from abroad.




1.	enough already	09:20	\|	michael N	02/01/07

2.	The Wars STILL Would Have Taken Place+ Shalit, etc...	09:24	\|	Yishai Kohen	02/01/07

3.	Burston knows best	09:34	\|	Walid	02/01/07

4.	A State of Suspended Animation	09:47	\|	Klaudia	02/01/07

5.	Sharon	10:04	\|	Choni Davidowitz	02/01/07

6.	Listen to Walid whine	10:04	\|	Richard	02/01/07

7.	We make History Happen	10:06	\|	Tzfonit	02/01/07

8.	THE MAN OF WAR VS THE MAN OF PEACE	10:09	\|	indrajaya	02/01/07

9.	It Was Sharon Who Destroyed The IDF	10:24	\|	Ben Israel	02/01/07

10.	I Think If Sharon Were Awake...	10:25	\|	Yosemite Sam	02/01/07

11.	why, don`t you like Lebensraumman?	10:34	\|	John and the truth	02/01/07

12.	principle of the d ebate	10:37	\|	John and Haaaretz tr	02/01/07

13.	For Klaudia # 4	10:47	\|	Clickfool	02/01/07

14.	HED KICK ASS AND TAKE NAMES !!!!!!!!!!	11:10	\|	paul harris	02/01/07

15.	#11 JOHN AND THE GLORY OF ROME ?	11:12	\|	paul harris	02/01/07

16.	Sharon and the Holy Grail	11:43	\|	Ronnie Wolman	02/01/07

17.	paul harris and bar kohkba	11:43	\|	John and the truth	02/01/07

18.	Walid	11:49	\|	sh	02/01/07

19.	#5	11:52	\|	Ari ben Yisrael	02/01/07

20.	Sharon we need you for Olmert had a stroke & is braindead	12:09	\|	Mustapha K	02/01/07

21.	If Sharon were here, there would not have been a 2nd Lebanon war	12:14	\|	Mustapha K	02/01/07

22.	SHARON WILL BE SORRY, I SUPPOSE	12:17	\|	indrajaya	02/01/07

23.	There is not much time for dreaming now, but	12:17	\|	TonyL	02/01/07

24.	The tragedy of Sharon`s illness	12:29	\|	Noelene	02/01/07

25.	# 19 - Indrajaya	12:38	\|	Klaudia	02/01/07

26.	Sharon could milk it . . .	12:41	\|	revoltop	02/01/07

27.	Sh	12:44	\|	Walid	02/01/07

28.	#17 JOHN GETS THE HISTORICAL RUBBISH WRONG AGAIN	13:29	\|	paul harris	02/01/07

29.	"cut into two parts like a coke bottle(Walid)"	13:41	\|	Giles Martin	02/01/07

30.	last exception tp paul the as.......ole	14:08	\|	John and the truth	02/01/07

31.	#28 Paul and on Sharon	14:09	\|	American	02/01/07

32.	I DON`T BUY IT FOR A MINUTE	14:12	\|	MEIR WEINSTEIN	02/01/07

33.	Giles Martin	14:23	\|	Walid	02/01/07

34.	One Thing`s For Sure....	14:37	\|	Klaudia	02/01/07

35.	As much as I hate to say it	14:42	\|	Chris Linthwaite	02/01/07

36.	#24 Noelene and all Israelis	14:46	\|	Danny	02/01/07

37.	If Begin were still with us	15:09	\|	Herbert Kaine	02/01/07

38.	Not Yet	15:16	\|	Abby	02/01/07

39.	#34 JOHN AT THE LAST COUNT THERE W ER E 340	15:21	\|	paul harris	02/01/07

40.	BRACHA/TSFONIT	15:50	\|	Gabe1	02/01/07

41.	Counterfactual history	15:54	\|	ZionistNation	02/01/07

42.	Lots of "Mights"	16:09	\|	Mark Lincoln	02/01/07

43.	Walid #33	16:13	\|	Gabe1	02/01/07

44.	If wishes were horses...	16:13	\|	Yaela Katz	02/01/07

45.	Back from hell into Israel?s personal politics.	16:14	\|	H.H.M	02/01/07

46.	#1: Apartheid	16:27	\|	Yaela Katz	02/01/07

47.	HERO Arik!	16:36	\|	Naomi	02/01/07

48.	You`ve got to be kidding	16:37	\|	H50	02/01/07

49.	Complete nonsense,rot of IDF took hold under Sharon	17:11	\|	Absolute Sweden	02/01/07

50.	Much of the present situation is Sharon`s fault	17:13	\|	Tosefta	02/01/07

51.	Bradley A Question!	17:35	\|	Yosemite Sam	02/01/07

52.	As the old saying goes, the Graveyards (and in this case hospital	17:39	\|	Jacob Blues	02/01/07

53.	Olmert is paralysing the country	17:41	\|	Irene	02/01/07

54.	mr. burston`s column proofs...	17:51	\|	saul a. readner	02/01/07

55.	Grass is greener	17:55	\|	Reuven	02/01/07

56.	#17 John and the ignorance	17:57	\|	Yonatan	02/01/07

57.	Yosemite Sam: 64000 dollar questions	18:09	\|	Ronnie Wolman	02/01/07

58.	Ari ben Israel	18:34	\|	Gabe1	02/01/07

59.	Walid	18:37	\|	JayUK	02/01/07

60.	Walid	19:01	\|	sh	02/01/07

61.	one sharon-backed lebanese war was enough	19:10	\|	tuairimiocht	02/01/07

62.	# 46 Yaela Katz, you`re so right	19:50	\|	Paul Henzen	02/01/07

63.	John / Yonatan - Jews in Israel AD 70-1870	20:07	\|	Paul Henzen	02/01/07

64.	What if, what if, what if...	20:37	\|	Blogowitz	02/01/07

65.	Apartheid straw wall (Yaela #46)	20:57	\|	Tosefta	02/01/07

66.	Grow up	21:02	\|	tom spender	02/01/07

67.	Sh	21:23	\|	Walid	02/01/07

68.	Jacob Blues #52	22:04	\|	Gbae1	02/01/07

69.	Ariel Sharon would have lost in lebanon too	22:16	\|	Lebanese	02/01/07

70.	YOU BROKE HIM & NOW	22:39	\|	ROGER	02/01/07

71.	#64 Blogowitz	22:41	\|	Boycott	02/01/07

72.	#46 Apartheid, Yaela Katz	23:01	\|	Boycott	02/01/07

73.	Aparthied, Walid and the continuing distraction from the issue	00:08	\|	Dave from Chicago	03/01/07

74.	Until when will Israel stand up for this	00:48	\|	Moises	03/01/07

75.	What a great commentary. Kudos to Burston	01:12	\|	BradL	03/01/07

76.	And if my father had wheels...	01:18	\|	Caliguy	03/01/07

77.	David from Chicago	01:18	\|	Walid	03/01/07

78.	sharon was not perfect but olmert is a disaster	01:30	\|	zionist forever	03/01/07

79.	#31	02:06	\|	mollio uk	03/01/07

80.	If Sharon were with us now...	02:10	\|	Steven	03/01/07

81.	63,56 and other spinners	02:13	\|	John and the truth	03/01/07

82.	boycott	02:21	\|	Yariv	03/01/07

83.	ariel sharon would be furious and outraged	02:42	\|	yahn goodey&virginia	03/01/07

84.	# 75 John - there NEVER was a Palestinian state !	02:52	\|	Paul Henzen	03/01/07

85.	Bradley	03:27	\|	Avi	03/01/07

86.	Surely we miss him	03:54	\|	Laura Peterson	03/01/07

87.	# 7 Tzfonit, you have excellent insight	04:00	\|	eric	03/01/07

88.	Walid #77	04:05	\|	Gabe1	03/01/07

89.	BRACHA/TSFONIT of BEN-AMI OR NAHARIYA	04:10	\|	GABE1	03/01/07

90.	JayUK #59	04:12	\|	Gabe1	03/01/07

91.	# 9 lol...why is it, ben israel?	04:13	\|	eric	03/01/07

92.	ARIEL SHARON WAS A BUTCHER AND A WARMONGER	04:27	\|	The End Is Nigh	03/01/07

93.	Chris Linthwaite: HOLD ON!	04:58	\|	CHGODMK	03/01/07

94.	#71, Boycott....	05:03	\|	Blogowitz	03/01/07

95.	# 17 & # 30-- There IS only one God, paul	05:15	\|	eric	03/01/07

96.	#92 SO WAS WINSTON CHURCHILL BUT HE SAVED THE WORLD	05:37	\|	paul harris	03/01/07

97.	Are some in the US as stupid as Laura Peterson, really?	05:54	\|	Marilyn	03/01/07

98.	to Walid #77	06:03	\|	Dave from Chicago	03/01/07

99.	# 84 oh really? then from whence came...	06:07	\|	eric	03/01/07

100.	Harris 96- utter tosh	06:10	\|	The End Is Nigh	03/01/07

101.	# 25, KLAUDIA	06:24	\|	indrajaya	03/01/07

102.	on the subject of sharon	06:32	\|	eric	03/01/07

103.	Who knows where the subconscious/soul travels.	06:58	\|	Maureen Ann	03/01/07

104.	Dave from Chigago	07:04	\|	Walid	03/01/07

105.	# 86 to laura--i had started to speak in your defense	07:21	\|	eric	03/01/07

106.	Gabe 1	07:26	\|	Walid	03/01/07

107.	# 103, MAUREEN ANN	09:06	\|	indrajaya	03/01/07

108.	If Sharon could be with us now?	09:24	\|	Guy From NYC	03/01/07

109.	Sharon	09:44	\|	Bill	03/01/07

110.	# 104, WALID	10:25	\|	indrajaya	03/01/07

111.	when the shoe fits...wear it	10:36	\|	moshe	03/01/07

112.	Guy from NYC	10:59	\|	Walid	03/01/07

113.	Bill	11:02	\|	Walid	03/01/07

114.	Indrajaya	11:15	\|	Walid	03/01/07

115.	To Bill 109	11:17	\|	Choni Davidowitz	03/01/07

116.	# 114, WALID	11:53	\|	indrajaya	03/01/07

117.	# 114, WALID	11:53	\|	indrajaya	03/01/07

118.	to #104 Walid	16:32	\|	Dave from Chicago	03/01/07

119.	to #104 Walid	16:32	\|	Dave from Chicago	03/01/07

120.	#72: Boycott: Rebuttal	16:36	\|	Yaela Katz	03/01/07

121.	to Walid #104	16:57	\|	Dave from Chicago	03/01/07

122.	Is it not Sharon who got us in this whole mess with his diseggmnt	17:00	\|	Harry	03/01/07

123.	#92	17:08	\|	Marco	03/01/07

124.	#93	17:27	\|	Chris Linthwaite	03/01/07

125.	Dave from Chicago	18:37	\|	Walid	03/01/07

126.	to Walid #125	19:50	\|	Dave from Chicago	03/01/07

127.	#125 Walid II	20:08	\|	Dave from Chicago	03/01/07

128.	Sharon: One of the most mobbed politicians	22:06	\|	Arik	03/01/07

129.	Dave from Chicago	22:10	\|	Walid	03/01/07

130.	to Walid #129	23:09	\|	Dave from Chicago	03/01/07

131.	It is a sad state of affairs,the guy is brain dead	23:46	\|	Wise Syrian	03/01/07

132.	#131 Wise syrian	04:07	\|	Tim	04/01/07

133.	Shame that passeth all understanding	08:29	\|	Hannah	04/01/07

134.	Let`s Make A Deal Hannah...	10:44	\|	Tim	04/01/07

135.	to Mr. Bradley Burston	12:25	\|	zeev	04/01/07

136.	To #128. Promoting the "dead", killing the alive, advertising th	15:22	\|	Simon Mohammed	04/01/07

137.	DO UNTO OTHERS.	15:57	\|	Bert	04/01/07

138.	The reliance on "Strong Men"	16:59	\|	Matthew Sawtell	04/01/07

139.	To # 136 Sharon Knows It	19:59	\|	Arik	04/01/07

140.	Sharon	22:25	\|	Miriam	04/01/07

141.	Refuah Shlema - Please get well soon! We need you! our HERO	02:18	\|	Ari	05/01/07

142.	hindsight	04:08	\|	Jeff	05/01/07