Halutz Hounded at Harvard

There's no rest it seems for Dan Halutz, former chief of staff of the Israeli Defense Forces, who resigned in February after a public outcry over his bungling of last summer's war in Lebanon. Earlier this month, a government commission issued a scathing report that criticized his management of the war, in particular for misinforming Israel's political leadership about the military's capability. Luckily for Halutz, he was outside the country when the report was released, studying executive management at Harvard Business School. But even in that inner sanctum of Ivydom, the Lebanon war still haunts Halutz.

A group of students and staff organized War Criminals at Harvard to protest the arrival of Halutz and any other Israeli military officers who dare enroll at the university. The group, which according to news reports includes some Israelis and Jewish Americans, has begun a manhunt for Halutz, issuing a wanted poster that charged Halutz with ordering a bombing campaign that left over 1,000 Lebanese civilians dead.

While most Israelis probably don't agree that Halutz is a war criminal, the issue has left many wondering why the failed soldier is on a fancy Harvard program at taxpayers' expense. Perhaps Israel should give its generals management training BEFORE they go to war.

--Andrew Lee Butters/Jerusalem