One of the most consequential leaders of the 20th century is dead. Ariel Sharon, brilliant military commander and former prime minister of Israel, died 8 years after suffering a debilitating stroke. He was 85. His tenure as prime minister was marked by his unilateral exit from Gaza and the withdrawal of some Israeli settlements. Some Americans viewed these actions as surprising, given his harsh rhetoric directed against Palestinians. But Sharon was always pragmatic when it came to achieving security for Israel and he believed that a Palestinian state with limited sovereignty was inevitable. He was a legend as a military commander. In 1973, Mr. Sharon felt drawn to politics. With help from American friends, he also bought a large farm in the Negev Desert - it remains the largest privately owned farm in the country - and talked about retirement from the military. But that October, a shocking invasion by Egypt and Syria, a war that Israel nearly lost, delayed his plans. He ...(Read Full Post)