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August 30, 2006
We, Fighters and Commanders
Friends,
The grassroots movement to remove Ehud Olmert where he can
do no more harm, is growing steadily despite the downplaying
of the rising number of protestors by a hostile, leftist
Israeli media, who still back the Kadima government.
Polls published in Yediot Acharonot say fully 63% of the public want Olmert to
resign. According to YNET, in an article published on August
29, 2006, bereaved families and a few other protesters, including
members of the Movement for Quality Government in Israel,
gathered in Jerusalem to commemorate the 23 year anniversary
of former PM Menachem Begin's resignation, following fiascos
in the first Lebanon war.
According to the bereaved families, who lost their soldier sons in the war, Olmert
refuses to meet with them, despite the heavy price that they
paid for the war in Lebanon. They asked that Olmert "act
like Begin and Golda Meir did" and take responsibility for
the war's failures. (Aviram Zino)
Protest petition by IDF reservists back from the war
By Haaretz Service 21 August 2006 (Thanks to IMRA)
www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/753032.html
The following is the text of a petition signed by IDF
reservists who served in the Spearhead Brigade in Lebanon,
in protest at the handling of the war by the government and
senior military officials:
We, fighters and commanders at the Spearhead [Hod Hachanit]
Brigade, were called up to enlist under an emergency
mobilization order [Tzav 8] on July 30, 2006. Our attendance
was complete in all battalions.
As we were signing on the battle equipment and weapons, we
knew that we were signing for much more. We left behind
wives and children, girlfriends and families. We put aside
our jobs and livelihoods; we were prepared to carry out our
mission under the most difficult of conditions, in heat,
thirst or hunger.
At the back of his mind, each and every one of us knew, that
for the just cause of protecting the citizens of Israel, we
would even put our lives on the line.
But there was one thing we were not and would not be willing
to accept: We were unwilling to accept indecisiveness. The
war's aim, which was not defined clearly, was even changed
in the course of the fighting.
The indecisiveness manifested itself in inaction, in not
carrying out operational plans, and in canceling all the
missions we were given during the fighting. This led to
prolonged stays in hostile territory, without an operational
purpose and out of unprofessional considerations, without
seeking to engage in combat with the enemy.
The "cold feet" of the decision-makers were evident
everywhere. To us the indecisiveness expressed deep
disrespect for our willingness to join the ranks and fight
and made us feel as though we had been spat on, since it
contradicts the principles and values of warfare upon which
we were trained at the Israel Defense Forces.
The heavy feeling that in the echelons above us there is
nothing but under-preparation, insincerity, lack of
foresight and inability to make rational decisions, leads to
the question - were we called up for nothing?
We are now on the day after, and it seems that the
immorality and the absence of any shame are the fig-leaves
to be used in order to cover up for the blunders. The
blunders of the past six years and the under-preparation of
the army have been carried on our backs - the backs of the
fighters. In order to face the next battle prepared - and
this may happen soon - a thorough and fundamental change
must take place.
The crisis of confidence between us as fighters and the
higher echelons will not be resolved without a thorough and
worthy investigative commission under the auspices of the
state. When the commission completes its task, conclusions
must be drawn both on the level of strategic planning and
national security, and on the personal level of the parties
involved.
We paid a heavy price in order to fight and come out of the
battle victorious, and we feel this has been denied of us.
We will all attend calls to enlist in the future for any
mission we will be required to complete, but we would like
to know that these missions will be part of a clear
objective and will be carried out by striving to engage in
combat.
As soldiers and citizens we expect a response at your
earliest convenience,
We the undersigned
Fighters and officers of the Spearhead Brigade
Hat Tip: Seraphic Friend, Naomi Regan
Posted by Robert J. Avrech at August 30, 2006 06:27 AM
Comments
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