Sharon - The Israeli Gaius Marius
Reader comment on item: Ariel Sharon, Escapist

Submitted by The Historian (Israel), Dec 1, 2005 at 00:04

If you're looking for historical parallels, how about Gaius Marius? Old man, big military hero, savior of Rome ends up creating civil war and destroying the Roman Republic in order to serve a seventh consulship. Sound familiar?

How many of Sharon's decisions as prime minister have been motivated by the corruption and greed of his own sons and subsequent police investigations?

Yossi Sarid said it before it ever happened: 'k'omek ha'chahira, kach omek ha'akira', loosely translated: the deeper the (police) investigation, the deeper the removal (of Jewish settlements).

Sharon's new party and personality cult can only last as long as he does and he isn't a young man. The Historian foresees further political turmoil in Israeli politics for years to come. And unfortunately, before Sharon is done he will have created more destruction than construction. Who would have thought???

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