Posted on 08/08/2006 8:03:40 AM PDT by A. Pole
Agree. There are three divisions of called-up IDF reservists training up for something. Fight is still in its first round.
I don't think the problem is the Israeli military,but more a result of the terrorists hiding amongst civilians and using the population as human shields.As a result progress has been understandably slow.
"Secular Jews believe that it is the IDF rather than the God of Abraham that preserves Israel."
And religious Jews know that God expects you to do everything you are physically and mentally able to do.
The key statement by senior officers was that if this operation was presented as an exercise, it would receive failing marks. They just aren't doing the trick for whatever reason.IMHO
The point of this article is to help the "Terrorists".
The problem with these admiribable men’s analyses is they are trying to force a Conventional Warfare paradigm onto an Asymmetrical warfare problem. That simply will not work.
Start with our Revolution, Napoleon in Spain, Spain in South American, the US in Vietnam, Various European powers all over the world, the Nazis in Eastern Europe, the French then the Americans in Vietnam, the Russians in Afghanistan. A Conventional Warfare doctrine applied to an Asymmetrical problem always ends in the eventual bloody defeat for the Conventional Force.
Think of Israel as a boxer punching a sand bag. No matter how hard they hit, they cannot hold their fist to the bag forever. Thus as soon as they pull their fist back the weight of the sand forces the bag back to the same old shape. This time Israel, with the backing of the Bush Administration, is trying to find a way to empty the sand OUT of the bag so that when Israel's fist is removed, the bag does not simply revert to the same old form.
It's not as dramatic or made for TV sexy but it DOES have the virtue of possible achieving a workable longer-term strategic change for Israel. Israel is going for the long game, a solution to a decade long cancer NOT a drama queen ego feeding headline grabbing military blitz.
It would be utterly stupid for Israel to settle for just pruning back Hizbolla when they could possible completely uproots it.
All the various armchair Patton's plans would accomplish is a lot of dead Jews for a short term "Quick fix". Hizbolla would simply bleed the Israelis while pulling back into sanctuary areas in Syria and northern Lebanon. Then when the Israelis could no longer stand the blood and treasure long term occupation was costing them, Hizbolla would simply flow back into the same positions they hold now. And in a few years from now the Israelis would face the same crises in Lebanon
Like the US in Iraq, Israel seems to be trying for a long term FIX that uproots Hizbolla and creates a viable Lebanese Govt that can police its own territory. That is why the Israelis are interested in a NATO force to do in Lebanon what it is currently doing in Afghanistan. The UN has showed it simply is too corrupt and ineffective to manage peacekeeping duties. Israel, and the world, need a force that can keep out the Terrorists while the Lebanese build a viable nation-state that can provide long term stability. Thus the Israel and the US should be looking with interest to the French.
The French are the ideal choice because of their history with Lebanon. They have good troops with lots of peace keeping experience (Its their politics that are messed up, not their military) Being Lefties the Media will pretty much ignore the head cracking they need to do as peace keepers. They do not trigger the knee jerk hysteria British, American or Jewish troops would in the Arabs. For domestic consumption the French can spin this mission as one to protect the Muslims " stopping" the Israelis. France does not have any where near the existing military commitments that the US and Britain do so have the forces available to take this one. With France heading the mission Germany, Spain and the other reluctant nervous nellies among the old Europe nations would have political coverage to get involved. The Israelis get a Neutral Zone and make one front in the WOT someone else's headache. It sends a message to Syria and Iran that the EU is not divided on controlling their terrorists’ proxy forces and adds pressure on Tehran to make a deal on the nuclear issue since they are diplomatically isolated. It would be also be impossible for domestic political reasons for the French to let the mission fail. In face of the success we are having in Afghanistan and Iraq, France needs to prove itself a serious world player. This mission thus would be seen as a test of France's vision of Pan Europeanism.
The $64 billion question is will the French do it?
"Israel's Lost Moment" Washington Post Friday, August 4, 2006; By Charle Krualthammer
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/08/03/AR2006080301258.html
"CAN ISRAEL WIN?" New York Post July 22, 2206. By Ralph Peters
http://www.nypost.com/postopinion/opedcolumnists/can_israel_win__opedcolumnists_ralph_peters.htm
Moreover, the current war is asymmetric, unlike the 1973 war, which was fought conventionally by opposing tanks and battalions. Apples and oranges, in short...
"A viable Lebanese Govt" consisting of Shias and Sunnies who will guard the Israeli interests?
They live in the Tel Aviv area, and are therefore not directly exposed to the missile attacks in the north
"The '73 war is the one the Israeli's don't talk much about because..........."
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=%22operation+nickel+grass%22&btnG=Google+Search
The object according to Patton is to make that other sombitch die for his country. That's what is unfolding.
"Attack rapidly, ruthlessly, viciously, without rest, however tired and hungry you may be, the enemy will be more tired, more hungry. Keep punching."
General George S. Patton
I don't think so.
I'm very familiar with what happened in the Yom Kippur War in 1973, and this article is right on the money historically.
I know much less about the state of readiness of Israel's reserves today, but the article has the ring of truth here too. I had some interesting jobs while I was in the U.S. Air Force during the Carter years, and we had similar problems. The public never knew, and the politicians did not WANT to know (or did not care...).
From what information is available to the public, I can also say Olmert would not get a passing grade from any War College on earth for the way he is handling this war at the strategic level. Given Olmert's lack of military experience and his leftist politics, I am not surprised to see this.
In fairness to Olmert, however, a caveat is needed at the strategic level. It is possible that something huge is hovering in the background that has led to a very strange way of fighting this war.
Even assuming something major is going on in the background, however, Olmert has still made himself sound stupid with all his comments about having already achieved victory when not a single Israeli objective has been achieved.
And religious Jews know that God expects you to do everything you are physically and mentally able to do.
G-d does expect you to do all that you are able to do with the tools He gave/gives you...and He also expects you to have faith in Him rather than in other people. The bottom line is that the Leftists and the secular people in Israel have failed miserably on 2 counts: first, in relying on the IDF (i.e. faith in "my own strong right arm") rather than in G-d, and in the failure to actually use anywhere near the full capabilities of the IDF.
Yes, counterterrorist operations are different from a battle with a regular army, but the simple fact is that Israel's leaders have blustered without following through (thereby violating the Talmud's dictum to "say little and do much"), and have left Syria and Iran untouched. Worse, they have placed their faith in other nations and in the UN, rather than in G-d and themselves, to successfully resolve this growing cancer.
No one sees the big picture here. The aim of this "war" is to get an international force to more of less neutralize Hezbollah in the south of Lebanon....
before the real threat of Iran and Syria can be delt with and it will, but don't tell anyone.
Great post. I like your thinking. Seems intelligent, fact-based, and well-researched, unlike some seen on this forum.
" Rommel...you magnificent bastard ...I READ YOUR BOOK! "
" Rommel...you magnificent bastard ...I READ YOUR BOOK! "
((Go Israel, Go! Slap 'Em Down Hezbullies.)
LOL!
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