Brave and forsaken - Haaretz

Subscribe to Print Edition

Sat., August 11, 2007 Av 27, 5767

Israel Time: 01:55 (EST+7)

web haaretz.com

Back to Homepage

Print Edition

Diplomacy

Defense

Real Estate

Arts & Leisure

Jewish World

National

Sports

Advertising

Magazine

Week's End

Opinion

Business

Rosner's Domain

Anglo File

Travel

Q&A

del.icio.us

Digg It! new

Brave and forsaken

By Haaretz Editorial

The list of those receiving decorations for their heroism during the Second Lebanon War - 38 medals and citations issued by the chief of staff, and 104 by other commanders - is also a list of the failings in the war, and the efforts of some to overcome them, sometimes by sacrificing their lives.

In this respect, this war is no different from other wars. However, in a war initiated by Israel against a relatively small guerrilla group several kilometers away from home, the results are all the more painful.

The stories of supreme heroism by individuals are the stories of those who went into battle unprepared, untrained and frustrated by ever-changing orders, but who performed above all expectations within the ranks of a confused and degenerating army.

	Advertisement

The fact that 3,000 security personnel were required to evacuate two homes in Hebron this week suggests that little has changed. The large deployment of forces in dealing with the settlers is one of the elements contributing to the army's weakness, as is the need to continue holding occupied territories instead of redeploying to the international border, which is the one that needs to be defended.

Former chief of staff Dan Halutz resigned after continued public pressure, without admitting failure. Similarly, former defense minister Amir Peretz feels that he too has been wronged. But the main injustice fell on the soldiers who fought, and the civilians who suffered rocket attacks for 34 days.

The list of those being decorated is a hair-raising reminder of last summer's events. In Ehud Barak's testimony before the Winograd Committee, published this week, the new defense minister said that whoever thought war was an appropriate response to the abduction of soldiers, should have prepared for it for at least six weeks after the kidnapping.

The main question is whether the lessons have really been learned, or whether there is only talk about learning lessons. There are voices from the command ranks of the IDF who complain that the in-house investigations carried out after the war were not serious enough, and that the views of critics were not given sufficient hearing.

It is too early to judge the new chief of staff, but it seems that the almost reflex - and dangerous - enthusiasm that his performance evokes stems mainly from the disappointments of the previous war. The new defense minister is hinting that he is not at peace with the army's condition, its readiness, and the fighting spirit of its commanders. These are serious matters, and their gravity cannot be ignored.

Indeed, troubling phenomena has emerged from within the IDF ranks in recent weeks, and it is doubtful whether they have been addressed with the necessary attention:

b The lenient manner in which those refusing to participate in the Hebron evacuation are treated - a phenomenon that emerged during the disengagement - continues; and the army has still not disassociated itself from the hesder yeshivas, whose rabbis instructed the soldiers to refuse orders to participate in the evacuation.

b An officer and five soldiers of the Kfir Brigade were arrested after going on a rampage in Dahariye.

b A soldier who fell asleep in the Gaza Strip was left behind.

b Soldiers on the Hermon were found using drugs on duty.

Decorating soldiers for their heroism in the Second Lebanon War is a reminder. Those who wish to continue having a motivated peoples' army must back it up with serious command, ethical political leadership, and logical policies, not improvisations.

Bookmark to del.icio.us


	A slippery slide
	The roads to pure pleasure are many and varied at the Holon water park.


	A daring insight
	The philosophy of Rabbi Shagar has found a place in the hearts of many.




1.	RETAKE GAZA, W.BANK, LEBANON:THE ONLY WAY TO DEFEAT TERROR)))))))	11:05	\|	VOICE of MOSHIACH)))	10/08/07

2.	RETAKE NOO YAWK, NOO JOISY:THE ONLY WAY TO DEFEAT ZIONISM))))))	12:28	\|	VOICE OF MOSIACH)))	10/08/07

3.	THE USUAL LACK OF HISTORY AND KNOWLEDGE	13:01	\|	paul harris	10/08/07

4.	A Relatively Cheap Lesson	13:12	\|	Dyinglikeflies	10/08/07

5.	Aid and comfort to the enemy	13:24	\|	Margie in Tel Aviv	10/08/07

6.	its simply fatigue	13:33	\|	ravi	10/08/07

7.	The underlying problem	13:42	\|	Mark Lincoln	10/08/07

8.	#5, Margie	14:30	\|	Hannah	10/08/07

9.	Brave... And, Never "Forsaken"	14:35	\|	Jim	10/08/07

10.	Very Degenerate Army	16:00	\|	Walid	10/08/07

11.	Enemy of G_d	16:00	\|	Double Click	10/08/07

12.	Jim #9	16:10	\|	Neal	10/08/07

13.	hehe Arab Hannah	16:18	\|	Hannah proud Jewess	10/08/07

14.	Jim	16:20	\|	Margie in Tel Aviv	10/08/07

15.	Margie #5...and a defamation to our brave soldiers	16:28	\|	Tzfonit	10/08/07

16.	#5 Margie in TA confused by democracy.	16:44	\|	Labhras	10/08/07

17.	was the IDF ready	16:47	\|	sam	10/08/07

18.	Let me be clear	17:05	\|	Hannah	10/08/07

19.	I agree with you, Hannah. They are!	17:59	\|	Leah	10/08/07

20.	Haaretz Editorial we demand your apology	18:19	\|	Gil	10/08/07

21.	Many Responsible for What Has Happened to the IDF	19:05	\|	Tod Zuckerman	10/08/07

22.	It depends on the question sam	19:33	\|	Mark Lincoln	10/08/07

23.	# 20 Gil. Haaretz Editorial we demand your apology.	19:34	\|	KATH`	10/08/07

24.	Degenerating army because of you, guys in Haaretz!	19:44	\|	Chris	10/08/07

25.	Tzfonit	20:09	\|	Walid	10/08/07

26.	Haaretz is degenerating	20:19	\|	Margie in Tel Aviv	10/08/07

27.	Dyinglikeflies - hype and tripe	20:36	\|	Mark Lincoln	10/08/07

28.	The two IDFs	20:44	\|	Mark Lincoln	10/08/07

29.	It`s not your Responsibility Labhras	20:52	\|	Capital letters	10/08/07

30.	Walid	21:25	\|	rich	10/08/07

31.	# 14 Margie In TA, # 13 Hannah PJ, #12 Neal - IDF Warriors	21:25	\|	Jim	10/08/07

32.	Walid	21:40	\|	Margie in Tel Aviv	10/08/07

33.	Addressing the issue vs shoveling the s. . .	22:01	\|	Mark Lincoln	10/08/07

34.	Hannah, Your Definition of Victory?	22:10	\|	Bernie	10/08/07

35.	FALSE HANNAH ALERT! #18	22:13	\|	Hannah	10/08/07

36.	# 25 Ya Walid! re:Tzfonit and the rest of us....	23:01	\|	KATH`	10/08/07

37.	Hannah # 18	09:32	\|	Fake Hannah	11/08/07

38.	Backbone of the IDF	12:45	\|	SM	11/08/07

39.	Mark Lincoln #`s 7,22,27,28,33	15:36	\|	S	11/08/07

40.	the army`s performance.	20:01	\|	sandra chitayat	11/08/07

Today Online


	Ten wounded in shooting attack in Old City of Jerusalem
	Responses: 436


	Beilin: We must reach deal with Hamas prior to Mideast summit
	Responses: 313


	Jews, Catholics bid farewell to Jewish-born French cardinal
	Responses: 208


	Yoel Marcus: Mideast summit is Bush's last chance to defeat terror
	Responses: 152


	Benny Ziffer: Hebron evacuation was not a battle of good vs. evil
	Responses: 108


	Rosner: Orthodox Union should object to Jews' insubordination
	Responses: 26

More Headlines
01:18 Assailant in J'lem attack identified as Israeli Arab


22:34 High Court bars Gazan students from studying in West Bank


01:04 Hamas announces formation of new naval coast guard unit


21:13 Left-wing activists, Palestinians cut hole in separation fence


20:37 Israel collaborator appears after Hamas claims Fatah killed him


17:48 Germany assesses how Nazi past influences police force


21:04 Erekat: PM to list 'major' W. Bank checkpoints slated for removal


01:42 Six people killed in five separate traffic accidents over weekend


21:54 Over 10,000 attend global Islamic movement's West Bank rally


17:41 At least 10 wounded in Gaza as top Fatah officials arrested