27 February 2007: I see no tanks

During the Battle of Copenhagen^[1], Admiral Nelson is said to have ignored an order to retreat from the enemy advance by holding a telescope to his blind eye and claiming "I see no ships". But it is thought that Israeli Defence Minister Amir Peretz's re-enactment of this at the weekend was more likely to have been accidental.

Proudly surveying his troops during key war games, he was caught by photographers with his binoculars to his eyes but with their black lens caps still firmly on.

Peretz has been vilified in Israel for his perceived mishandling of last year's war in Lebanon. A vast majority of Israelis want him to resign from the defence ministry, claiming chronic incompetence and military inexperience.