Olmert on Israel's future

The New York Review of Books provides a translation of an interview in Yediot Ahranot with Ehud Olmert, the outgoing PM.

I didn't find these remarks in any other publication, but I may be behind the 8-ball here. I found the interview remarkable for the candor. Given the scandal and some of the stuff I read about it, I kind of view Olmert similarly to the way I view Bush: someone who has mislead me. I was excited for his tenure, but his lack of competence at the national level seemed to be jarring. (This is in contrast to his tenure as Mayor of Jerusalem, where he did a great job.)

Here's a snippet of the interview:

Were a regional war to break out in the next year or two and were we to enter into a military confrontation with Syria, I have no doubt that we'd defeat them soundly. We are stronger than they. Israel is the strongest country in the Middle East. We could contend with any of our enemies or against all of our enemies combined and win. The question that I ask myself is, what happens when we win? First of all, we'd have to pay a painful price.
And after we paid the price, what would we say to them? "Let's talk." And what would the Syrians say to us? "Let's talk about the Golan Heights."
So, I ask: Why enter a war with the Syrians, full of losses and destruction, in order to achieve what might be achieved without paying such a heavy price?

This is clearly a man who has been taught no end of a lesson by his experience in running a war. He is suggesting that his predecessor be prepared to give up Shebaa Farms and the Golan in order to neutralize Hizb'allah:

Who seriously thinks that if we sit on another hilltop, on another hundred
meters, this will make a difference for Israel's basic security?

Interesting. Read the whole thing.