It snowed last week in Jerusalem. Altogether it was really just a dusting of wet sloppy white stuff. In Minnesota – and I suspect Wales – not only would this not warrant a two day school closing, it wouldn’t even bare mentioning.

In Minnesota – I know because I called – it was –25F. But in Jerusalem, the sun was shining, and the snow was quickly becoming a memory. A friend – a very close friend - and colleague drove 30 miles to make sure that her three-year old daughter, Hallel, saw snow. That is what Israelis called this sloppy, momentary, metrological inconvenience.

And while all of this was news worthy in Jerusalem, what was the situation in Gaza?

I presume they were not making snowmen. I think for the most part they were – thousands of them – hiding out in Egypt. Someone(s) knocked down the fence. It doesn’t matter who because it is Israel’s fault. It’s always our fault – whatever they do or don’t do – whatever we do or don’t do – its all our fault. For my part, I wish them long and healthy lives in Egypt. Better for them, better for us.

Add to all this excitement the publication of the Winograd Report. This is the long time coming evaluation of the behavior of the Prime Minister, the Minister of Defense, and the Army in the second (is it really only the second?) Lebanon war.

A lot of money was spent on the conclusions now public. And what do we know that we didn’t before this? What did Winograd say?

1.The Prime Minister is ultimately responsible for the actions of his government.

Wow! There is a new concept.

2. The Prime Minister made up his mind hastily.

3. He did not have a clear rationale for the war.

4. He did not adjust his plan as needed.

and

“All of these add up to a serious failure in exercising judgment, responsibility and prudence.”

We had any doubt of any of this? We needed a committee?

Let’s go on.

The Minister of Defense is responsible for the military.

Wow! It’s good they told us that. I was thinking maybe he was in charge of the fence. ( da fence get it?)

“He did not have good knowledge of the basic principles of using military force to achieve political goals…he made his decisions during this period without systemic consultations with experienced political and professional experts…The Minister of Defense did not act within a strategic conception of the systems he oversaw. He did not ask for the IDF's operational plans and did not examine them; he did not check the preparedness and fitness of IDF...”

The report goes on to say that the Chief of Staff is the supreme commander of the IDF (Israeli Defense Force) and that he didn’t take into consideration that the Minister of Defense knew nothing and the Prime Minister didn’t have a plan.

Well duh! Duh! And Duh !!!!!!

The final paragraph reads as follows:

“We believe that - beyond the important need to examine the failures in conducting the war and the preparation for it, beyond the need to identify the weaknesses ( and strengths ) ( my emphasis ) in the decisions made in the war - these are the main questions raised by the Second Lebanon War. These are questions that go far beyond the mandate of any particular commission of inquiry; they are the questions that stand at the center of our existence here as a Jewish and democratic state. It would be a grave mistake to concentrate only on the flaws revealed in the war and not to address these basic issues.”

My overly excessive tax dollars at work.

I would really like to know what the strengths were.

Most depressing of all, vital, courageous young men gave their lives to protect the State of Israel, to protect and defend democracy and innocent men, women and children. I knew one of these brave committed soldiers. He loved his life and his family and his country. He believed in what he was doing. He was killed trying to evacuate other wounded soldiers… greater love than this …

The Hizbollah started this war. We should have finished it quickly and effectively, but on our side it was run by three “men” who were making no personal sacrifice at all. Three “men” who took advantage of the devotion to G-d and country that soldiers like Eliel Ben Yehuda gave their life for.

In the end, this war was run by three BOZOS that wouldn’t know how to run a mailroom let alone a war room. We didn’t need a report to tell us that. Two of them resigned. But the PM is still at the helm of a ship he has capsized.

I know you pray for us. Please don’t stop now. We need you more than ever.

Stephanie McMahon-Kaye

February 5, 2008