Allahpundit calls it “the creepiest blog scandal ever,” and that’s a fact.

Speaking on This Week, George Stephanopoulos and Cokie Roberts just parroted Larry Johnson’s utterly false claim that Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert had “no military service.”

No one challenged them.

At his blog, Larry Johnson, the mainstream media’s go-to guy for all things CIA- and Valerie Plame-related, posts a blatant lie about Ehud Olmert’s military service as part of a smear against President Bush: Israel Taks [sic] A Stupid Pill. (Hat tip: Logic & Sanity.)

Apparently not content to let the U.S. do a self-immolation act in the Middle East by itself, Israel decided to set itself on fire by invading Lebanon. Burn baby burn?  Like George Bush, Israel’s Prime Minister, Ehud Olmert, never served in a combat unit and launched military operations without thinking the matter through.  In fact, Olmert reportedly never even served in the military.  I raise this because there is one simple question Israel cannot answer about the current operations—what is their strategic military objective.  Olmert has somehow persuaded the Israeli military to ignore strategy, think tactically, and in the process become really stupid.   The events in the next several weeks will expose as myth the canard that you can secure a nation by killing terrorists.  No you can’t.

Why does this guy have any credibility left? Military service is mandatory in Israel.

At the Israeli government site, Ehud Olmert’s resumé: Prime Minister - Curriculum Vitae.

November 1963 – Began his military service in the 13th Regiment, Golani Brigade.  During his service he suffered injuries to a leg and an arm, which required prolonged medical treatment.  He completed his military service in 1971 at the “Hamahane” newspaper.

[ … ]

1979-1982 – Volunteered in the IDF and completed officers’ course while serving as MK.  Volunteered for reserve service in Lebanon.

At Wikipedia: Ehud Olmert.

Olmert served with the Israel Defense Forces in the Golani combat brigade. While in service he was injured and temporarily released. He underwent many treatments. Later he completed his military duties as a journalist for the IDF magazine BaMahane. During the Yom Kippur war he joined the headquarters of Ariel Sharon as a military correspondent. Already a Knesset member, he decided to go through an Officer’s course, at the age of 35, in 1980.

UPDATE at 7/15/06 3:42:12 pm:

And what does it say about the CIA that someone so obviously weak on facts and research could be a counter-terrorism official?