The PR scandal in the IDF

The big talk in the news today is the investigation into the recent scandal of choosing a new IDF Chief of Staff. The scandal was, briefly, that among the various generals who are candidates for the position, a document was discovered that revealed a plan by one of them, General Galant, working with a top notch PR firm headed by Eyal Arad, to "sell him" to DM Ehud Barak.

Initially it was made into a scandal because how can we choose our Chief of Staff by media relations rather than by actual military qualifications. It later became an even bigger scandal when Galant and Arad both denied the legitimacy of the document, along with any such meetings or plans. They claimed the document is a forgery meant to make Galant look bad, or meant to reflect badly on Ashkenazi, or even on Ehud Barak himself. That means, possibly, someone internally is forging documents with possibly sensitive information of the generals in the IDF, and setting people up in such a manner.

So it led to an outcry and an investigation.

The second part of it really is an issue and should be investigated. What I am about to write does not relate to that point in any way. My thoughts are relegated to the first part of the scandal - the issue of whether it is inappropriate for the candidates to prepare a PR strategy as a way of selling himself to win the appointment of Chief of Staff.

Personally, I see nothing wrong with it. We are talking about candidates that are all highly qualified for the job. If it was someone who had no qualifications, but he was charismatic and could win the job by a PR strategy, I would agree that the Ramatcal position should not be chosen like that.

But we are talking about generals who are all highly qualified for the position. FOr such people, it is not the PR strategy that would win him a position he did not deserve, but it would be in addition to his other qualifications for which he is being considered for the job anyway.

As a matter of fact, I think it is good that he (assuming he did it) prepared such a strategy. I want our Ramatcal to be someone who works on various fronts to win his battles. Even if ti is using means that are not 100% conventional. It shows he can think out of the box. He can make himself stand out and do what it takes to win..

Again, it was not just a PR blitz that would have won him the job, had it worked. It would have been that, possibly, that would have put him over the top, but his qualifications say he deserves the job anyway...

I am not advocating that Galant be the right man for the job. I do not know if he is better or worse, more or less qualified, than the others in the running for the appointment. I am saying that the scandal should not be a scandal. PR is just a tool, and I see nothing wrong with using it, in addition to his other qualifications.