Although the Premier has yet to admit his decision, let alone provide a satisfactory explanation, it seems that he hoped futilely for a limited war. A prominent wheeler-dealer attorney-negotiator prior to entering politics, he may have thought that he could succeed by the military option of filing a lawsuit as a negotiating ploy, very useful when you represent the rich and powerful, as he always had.Emphasis mine. Sooo, sounds like Lyndon Baines Johnson all over again. Poor Israel.
h/t: Kesher Talk.
3 comments:
Chuck:
My military experience informed my litigation philosophy. I don't file a lawsuit unless my client and I are prepared to take it to trial and win.
Litigation as leverage is much too expensive in time, money and emotion to use casually.
I suspect the good PM has not litigated enough to be taught that lesson.
vnjagvet,
I meant no aspersion on lawyers. It was the wheeler-dealer characterization that struck me. Johnson was much the same and was also always sticking his fingers into the conduct of the Vietnam War. The slow escalation and dicking around in Lebanon -- to use Wretchard's phrase -- is all terribly reminiscent. I suspect the article is correct in pointing to a massive political change in Israel's future. Olmert hasn't risen to the occasion and I think the country is way out in front of him. I just don't know where the new leaders will come from. Netanyahu I think is iffy.
I'm not sure that the country is way out in front of him. The 80% support polls are meaningless - just like Bush's 90% support after 9/11 and Afghanistan. He's leading a coalition government that is one of the weakest in Israel's history and the segment of the population in Israel that is lefty/appeaser in nature is much bigger than our Copperhead movement.
I agree that he's running this like a negotiator rather than a litigator. Even worse, he didn't take a big enough first bite to establish a decent negotiating position.
There may be a decent explanation involved beyond blundering incompetence but it's sure well hidden.
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