Israeli Defense Minister Reads Caroline Glick

Caroline Glick, columnist for Jerusalem Post, wrote yet another powerful piece this week.

Glick laments the reversion of the US to James Bakeresque realpolitik and with it, in her opinion, a slide backwards for the forces of good and chances for victory in the Middle East.

Among other things, Glick assesses how Israel is faring (emphasis added):

This brings us back to Israel, which is situated smack in the middle of the regional chaos. How is Israel contending with this threatening state of affairs?

The IDF seems to be contending fairly well, at least with regard to Syria and Lebanon. The IDF's decision to have television crews film Israeli soldiers fighting in mock Syrian villages this week, like Chief of General Staff Lt.-Gen. Gabi Ashkenazi's announcement that the IDF is prepared to fight on two fronts simultaneously, are signs that the IDF recognizes that its only safe bet is to prepare for all contingencies. Were the IDF to complement these actions with warnings to Iran and operational plans to attack Iran's nuclear installations and distribute gas masks to the public, the General Staff would go a long way toward proving that it is adopting the only reasonable strategic posture available, given the cards Israel has been dealt.

Two days later, this happens:

Peretz tells cabinet millions of shekels needed for gas masks

Defense Minister Amir Peretz warned during a cabinet meeting Sunday that the state was missing millions of shekels needed to refurbishing gas masks for civilians.

Peretz made the statements during a briefing about preparations works carried out by his Ministry ahead of the establishment of an emergency authority for the Home Front.

Things could be worse than Amir Peretz taking his cues from Caroline Glick.