Topic: Yes what I see is very interesting.

[Pugnate]

Linky

Minister's lens cap gaffe

Israeli newspapers published pictures of Defence Minister Amir Peretz watching military manoeuvres through binoculars - with the lens caps still on.

Mr Peretz was inspecting troops in the Golan Heights with the Israeli army's new chief of staff, Gen Gabi Ashkenazi.

According to the photographer, Mr Peretz looked through the capped binoculars three times, nodding as Gen Ashkenazi explained what was in view.

Mr Peretz's popularity has fallen in the wake of last year's war against Hezbollah militants in Lebanon.

But one Israeli paper pointed out that he is not the first prominent official to make this mistake.

According to daily Yediot Ahronot, President Bush and former Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon have both done the same thing.

[scottws]

I saw the video of this.  I'm not 100% that they are in fact lens caps.  They might be some sort of camouflage mesh covering to prevent reflection off the lenses giving away position.  But they probably are lens caps.

In Bush's case, they definitely were lens caps.  From what I hear though, at least Bush removed them after making that mistake.

[Pugnate]

You know it could just be a bad moment to have had a photo taken. You bring the binoculars up to your eyes and realize the cap is on, meanwhile someone takes a picture. It could happen. Actually I find that more likely then these guys pretending or something.

[idolminds]

I've done that, looked through binoculars with the caps still on. Then you go "Oops" and take them off. Of course, I didn't have people taking pictures of me constantly while I did that.

[Ghandi]

Yeah, I was gonna say that before Pug pointed it out. We have all done it. Sometimes Bush gets a bad rap just because it's the "thing to do" to make fun of him. I highly doubt that he was standing there for minutes looking into the binoculars at darkness like an idiot.

This type of thing is just part of being in the public spotlight, I guess. In any case, I judge these people based on the decisions they make not if they leave the lens cap on.

[WindAndConfusion]

Yeah, I was gonna say that before Pug pointed it out. We have all done it.

But have we all done it three times in a row?

[Quemaqua]

If somebody hands you binoculars, you'll probably assume the caps are off.  Doesn't seem like that big a thing to me.  Hell, at least you have binoculars with caps.  All mine are too shitty for that kind of protection.