A Calamity for Israel

Washington Post ^ | January 6, 2006 | Charles Krauthammer

[Nachum]

The stroke suffered by Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon could prove to be one of the great disasters in the country's nearly 60-year history. As I write this, Sharon's condition remains uncertain, but the severity of his stroke makes it unlikely that he will survive, let alone return to power. That could be disastrous because Sharon represented, indeed embodied, the emergence of a rational, farsighted national idea that seemed poised in the coming elections to create a stable governing political center for the first time in decades.

[Nachum]

Love Charles Krauthammer, but he is dead wrong here.

[Hypervigilant]

Sorry, Chas, Sharon is a sell-out. An appeaser. Dropping Israel down the path that leads to the sea...

[Westlander]

'stroke' is 70's terminology. It's a brain attack. Than you have to differentiate if it was hemorrhagic or not. Jeesh!

[IntheHillsGolden]

"Sorry, Chas, Sharon is a sell-out. An appeaser. Dropping Israel down the path that leads to the sea..."

...and you are foolishly wrong, ill-timed, and misinformed. One does not become the Prime Minister of Israel by being a sell-out or poor leader. Learn history before making such worthless comments.

[Hypervigilant]

Many will disagree with you. Giving land for "peace" is appeasement.

[SevenMinusOne]

Sorry, Chas, Sharon is a sell-out. An appeaser. Dropping Israel down the path that leads to the sea...

You are completely and foolishly wrong. Sharon an appeaser! Please. The man has been a decisive leader in the military as well as PM for Israel.

He put his life on the line numerous times for Israel.

[American in Israel]

Sharon represented, indeed embodied, the emergence of a rational, farsighted national idea that seemed poised in the coming elections to create a stable governing political center for the first time in decades.

Sounds like a fair description of Hitler by a leftist.

Sharon corrupted democracy into demockery here in Israel by going against the mandate of the people that voted him into power, then firing anybody who voted against him in the cabinet till he filled the cabinet with controlable yes men from the leftist partys.

As for farsighted, the guy needed glasses, as Gaza was exploding under his feet as he was posting notices of eviction in Hebron.

Sharon was the greatist disaster in Israel history, a man democraticly elected that attempted to create a dictatorship, and surrendered the Nation to his political whim.

[Hypervigilant]

OK. As I am ignorant, please tell me he did NOT broker "peace" by cutting up the land of Israel?

[darkocean]

A country which can't afford to have people die of old age when the times comes isn't a viable country.

[IntheHillsGolden]

You are wrong.

Sharon declared that there would be no other unilateral withdrawals from the West Bank, and he has always insisted that Palestinian terrorist groups be systematically disrupted, disarmed and dismantled.

Sharon brought the people of Israel what they have hoped for. Perfection? Not yet. But a damn good start.

May God Bless Sharon and his family through this terrible health crisis.

[Flux Capacitor]

It doesn't happen often, but Krauthammer's dead wrong.

I have always liked and respected Ariel Sharon. I still do and pray the best for him. But as Israel's PM, his decision to unilaterally surrender to the Palestinians withdraw from Gaza was a horrible, horrible, horrible mistake that will do far more damage to Israel in the long term than his own passage from this Earth (to put it bluntly).

There can be no "third way" with the Palestinians. They can never be even remotely trusted as any sort of "peace partner", certainly not as long as the generations of hate that Arafat bred are at its fore (which will be for decades). They cannot be allowed to create yet another Arab terrorist state at Israel's doorstep, and Sharon was about the last person I expected to clear the way to allow them to do just that.

As it became clear after the 2000 Intifada started that Ehud Barak would be history, I felt that Israel needed Benjamin Netanyahu more than ever. Now that Sharon is passing from the political scene (one way or another), I'm sad to say that it still does.

-Dan

[American in Israel]

I am wrong? Sharon declared there would be no withdrawels from Gaza too. The police were handing out eviction notices to Jews in Hebron the day Sharon keeled over. What Sharon says and what Sharon did are often two seperate things.

Are you seriously trying to tell me daily artillery rocket barrages, the borders being open for weapons smuggling, Hamas in control and belly bombs is what Israel hoped for?

I dare say Israel hoped Sharon was as good as his word and would fight terrorism, and not surrender land as was his promise when he ran for office.

I suspect YOU got what YOU wanted for Israel. I suspect the landslide victory for the Likud on the platform of fighting terrorism is what ISRAEL wanted, and is certainly what they voted for.

Indeed may God Bless Sharon and his family through this crisis, I sincerely hope Sharon recovers enough to repent for his sellout before he stands before God.

[Hypervigilant]

Well put!

Sol David in the West.

[txhurl]

Giving land for 'peace' is to remove civilians who would otherwise be snuffed by rabid palestinians once the Israel/Iran conflict is underway. Likely soon, I might add.

[Hypervigilant]

Really? Then the plans for attacking Iran have been underway for many months???

[California Patriot]

As usual, Krauthammer is right on the money.

[txhurl]

Well, they did somehow elect an ogre who recently declared that Israel should be 'wiped off the map'.

I suppose you slept through that?

[Hypervigilant]

Nope. I just don't figure how IAF capability is up to the task in this case. Gonna need a BIG Sugar Daddy to supply the fuel, arms, and intel...

[txhurl]

Unless you've been ferreted away in some tornado shelter since the SOTU address three years ago:

Axis o' evil: Iraq, Iran, North Korea.

Why Syria didn't make the list at the time, not sure.

[Hypervigilant]

I know who the players are.

I don't know how Isreal will launch a prophylactic attack against all irans nuke facilities, given their weapons, and the mid-air re-fuel capacity of the F-16(mod).

Looks dicey. Especially if the kooks flame up some silkworm variants in hormuz.

W'ell see soon enough.