PM to war probe: IDF let itself down in Second Lebanon War

[Eugene]

Source: Haaretz

Last update - 12:24 10/05/2007

PM to war probe: IDF let itself down in Second Lebanon War

By Nir Hasson and Aluf Benn, Haaretz Correspondents, and Haaretz Service

Prime Minister Ehud Olmert told the Winograd Committee investigating the
Second Lebanon War that he believes the Israel Defense Forces "seriously
let itself down" during the war, according to testimony published by the
committee Thursday.

The committee published the partial testimonies of the prime minister,
Defense Minister Amir Peretz, and wartime chief of staff Dan Halutz on
Thursday, less than two weeks after publishing its scathing report on
the government's handling of the war.

-snip-

He stressed that it is important to differentiate between the soldiers
and the IDF command. "I wouldn't make a sweeping generalization," he
said. "The combat soldiers were excellent."

"Something in the conception of activating the forces, something in the
conception of commanding the forces, something was not what we
expected it to be," he continued. "There is no doubt that it caused a
disparity between our ability to achieve and what we actually achieved."

-snip-

Read more: http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/858071.html