From Olmert fights to save career as inquiry cites 'serious failings' by Donald Macintyre Independent 05/01/07:
Ehud Olmert was fighting for his political survival last night after a government commission excoriated the Israeli Prime Minister for his leading role in the "very serious failings" in last summer's Lebanon war.It sounds so familiar. But I can't quite place who it reminds me of.
The unexpectedly scathing first report from the commission, headed by the retired judge Eliyahu Winograd, blamed Mr Olmert for a "serious failure in exercising judgement, responsibility and prudence" at the outset and during the 34-day war. The report was also withering in its criticism of Amir Peretz, the Defence Minister, and the now-departed Israel Defence Forces' chief of staff Dan Halutz, for a series of decisions, including starting the war without proper consideration of the alternatives or consequences.
But it made no effort to deflect blame from a Prime Minister who the report said had "made up his mind hastily [to go to war] despite the fact that no military plan was submitted to him and without asking him for one". ...
It added that Mr Olmert did not "adequately consider political and professional reservations presented to him" before the "fateful" decisions taken after the seizure of two Israeli soldiers by Hizbollah on Israel's northern border on 12 July. (my emphasis)
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