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Netanyahu: Israel's arch-hawk aiming for comeback
Breitbart via Drudge report ^ | August 14, 2007 | AFP

Posted on 08/14/2007 8:13:41 AM PDT by RDTF

Former premier Benjamin Netanyahu, who is set to be re-elected as head of Israel's right-wing Likud party on Tuesday, is a media-savvy arch-hawk determined to move back to the political centre stage.

Netanyahu was expected to sweep to victory during a Likud primary with at least 70 percent of the vote, according to internal opinion polls, in a contest against two other candidates.

-snip-

Bibi, as Netanyahu is widely known in Israel, is hoping to ride a wave of dissapointment with the ruling Kadima party over scandals and last year's Lebanon war back to the top of the Israeli political spectrum.

The right-wing party had the wind knocked out of it after former prime minister Ariel Sharon decided in November 2005 to quit and form the centrist Kadima, today headed by Prime Minister Ehud Olmert.

With Netanyahu at the helm, Likud that had dominated Israeli politics since its first election victory in 1977 managed to scrape together only 12 seats in the 120-member parliament.

The defeat marked a devastating turn of fortunes for the politician who 11 years before became Israel's youngest prime minister.

Over the past year, however, Netanyahu's luck has changed -- opinion ratings of him and his party have risen as those of Kadima and Olmert have slid in the wake of the inconclusive Lebanon war and a string of scandals involving senior government figures.

Today Netanyahu is the public's first choice to be Israel's next prime minister -- 36 percent favoured him in a recent opinion poll, compared with eight percent for Olmert and 22 percent for former premier Ehud Barak.

(Excerpt) Read more at breitbart.com ...


TOPICS: Extended News; Israel; News/Current Events; War on Terror
KEYWORDS: bibi; fatah; gwot; hamas; israel; likud; netanyahu; wot
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1 posted on 08/14/2007 8:13:45 AM PDT by RDTF
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To: RDTF

That would be most welcome news. Though I prefered Sharon.


2 posted on 08/14/2007 8:14:42 AM PDT by pissant (Duncan Hunter: Warrior, Statesman, Conservative)
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To: RDTF
since when is Bibi an arch hawk?


3 posted on 08/14/2007 8:16:23 AM PDT by APRPEH (Hillary probably wouldn't approve, but I can live with that.... www.imwithfred.com)
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To: RDTF

Go Bibi!!


4 posted on 08/14/2007 8:21:02 AM PDT by lexington minuteman 1775
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To: APRPEH

Exactly. Arch hawk? Compared to Olmert, perhaps. Look at those goofballs in the background of that photo.


5 posted on 08/14/2007 8:21:50 AM PDT by steveyp
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To: APRPEH

That’s the Bibi who surrendered Hebron without a fight and transformed Hamas from a dying fringe group into a powerhouse when he released terrorist Sheik Yassin.


6 posted on 08/14/2007 8:26:13 AM PDT by hlmencken3 (Originalist on the the 'general welfare' clause? No? NOT an originalist!)
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To: RDTF

I fear that Netanyahu, for all his good beliefs, just doesn’t have it as far as either political acumen, tactical or strategic thinking. Sharon just ran circles around him, inflicting hard punches without Netanyahu able to lay a glove on him.

He would have been a good supporter, had his inclinations run in that direction, but he has ambition to be in charge, and he just doesn’t have it.

That being said, Israel needs someone who is pretty ruthless, uncompromising, and efficient to get their house in order, and in a hurry. Most likely a military man, because few civilians have what it takes.


7 posted on 08/14/2007 8:30:13 AM PDT by Popocatapetl
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To: APRPEH; steveyp

Bibi is just a bright guy who hopes to preserve a homeland for his people. The media has demonized him and any Israeli who will not give real land for promises of peace (which are always broken). There is no land to give. Israel is probably 60 miles wide with enemies all around, and open threats to wipe them out. We need Bibi back in power.


8 posted on 08/14/2007 8:32:11 AM PDT by shalom aleichem
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To: shalom aleichem
Lessons from the Sudetenland by Netanyahu
9 posted on 08/14/2007 8:43:40 AM PDT by Scythian
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To: shalom aleichem

agreed!


10 posted on 08/14/2007 8:43:48 AM PDT by RDTF (Republicans believe every day is July 4th, but Democrats believe every day is April 15th. - Reagan)
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To: shalom aleichem

Actually, at its narrowest point, Israel is 20 miles wide.

Olmert is a disaster. Netanyahu is flawed, but he is a giant next to a weak fool like Olmert.


11 posted on 08/14/2007 8:49:40 AM PDT by Astronaut
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To: RDTF

agreed!”
__________________

Ditto agreed!


12 posted on 08/14/2007 8:54:03 AM PDT by cowdog77 (" Are there any brave men left in Washington, or are they all cowards?")
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To: RDTF

Arch-hawk? Whoo boy. The left must be running low on extremist terminology these days.


13 posted on 08/14/2007 8:54:04 AM PDT by reagan_fanatic (Ron Paul put the cuckoo in my Cocoa Puffs)
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To: shalom aleichem

Hey, I like the guy. Is he the best Israel has right now w/r to preserving the homeland?


14 posted on 08/14/2007 9:17:01 AM PDT by steveyp
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To: shalom aleichem

Hey, I like the guy. Is he the best Israel has right now w/r to preserving the homeland?


15 posted on 08/14/2007 9:17:10 AM PDT by steveyp
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To: Salem; SJackson; Alouette; F15Eagle; T.L.Sink; unionblue83; goldstategop; dervish; ...

Better Bibi than Olmerde ping!


16 posted on 08/14/2007 9:33:47 AM PDT by Convert from ECUSA (Hunter and Tancredo in '08! La Raza - the PLO of the Western Hemisphere)
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With Netanyahu at the helm, Likud that had dominated Israeli politics since its first election victory in 1977 managed to scrape together only 12 seats in the 120-member parliament... Today Netanyahu is the public's first choice to be Israel's next prime minister -- 36 percent favoured him in a recent opinion poll, compared with eight percent for Olmert and 22 percent for former premier Ehud Barak.
Careful what you wish for.
17 posted on 08/14/2007 9:43:05 AM PDT by SunkenCiv (Profile updated Tuesday, August 14, 2007. https://secure.freerepublic.com/donate/)
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To: RDTF

We can only hope.


18 posted on 08/14/2007 9:44:15 AM PDT by facedown (Armed in the Heartland)
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To: RDTF

i like netanyahu.

certainly the outcome of the last israeli foray into

lebanon would have had different results.


19 posted on 08/14/2007 9:46:42 AM PDT by ken21 (28 yrs + 2 families = banana republic junta. si.)
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To: RDTF

Netanyahu talks a good game, but was a great disappointment the last time. Better than Olmert, probably- but that’s not saying much.


20 posted on 08/14/2007 10:10:29 AM PDT by Nachum
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