Haim Ramon's Big Mouth

A United States State Department spokesman denounced Israel Justice Minister Haim Ramon for having said publicly what everybody in the Middle East believes: The Bush administration greenlighted an Israel invasion of Lebanon. Ramon is presumably in the know, so his statement supports the belief being true. Ramon is known in Israel for having a big mouth. The Israel police say he could be indicted for another inappropriate use of that organ. The indictment for commiting a vile act would be based on the police investigation of a complaint by a female government secretary that Ramon recently kissed her against her will and "even stuck his tongue into her mouth."

Update on another leader: IDF Chief of Staff Dan Halutz was hospitalized and examined today for two hours, after he felt ill. He was released without any restrictions and returned to work. A former head of the air force, Halutz is notriously callous about civilian deaths in IDF bombings and missile attacks. At the beginning of the current war he bragged that the air force could turn Lebanon back fifty years, quickly deplete Hizbullah's store of rockets and deal it a decisve blow. Since events have demonstrated that Halutz is even more incomptent than arrogant, today's episode suggests he might be considering death as a career move.