Thanks for your reply! I’m in complete agreement.
We’re in a world now where lying has no consequence. It’s even better to come out with statements on both sides of an issue, because when media people come out in an attempt to righteously expose your hypocrisy, you can point to your statements made in the opposite direction. Nothing really gets acomplished, but you have fuel for a reply without stuttering or having to say anything self-contradictory. Since there’s no consequence to lying nor any reward for telling the truth, the net result is simply to discredit your critics.
Israel will be hated regardless of anything they might do. That much is a given. Instead of rejecting or working to counter that phenom, they should get the job done that they need to get done. They won’t be hated less or loved more if they somehow engage in some form of unilateral cease fire. Frankly, they’ve slow to realize this, but it’s time, this time.
First, HB and Iran fought the IDF on ground that they had labored years to shape and prepare for one of the greatest ambushes of all time. Bunkers, fortified houses, decoys, hidden armories, safety bunkers, tunnels and access routes were all in place long in advance of the fighting. Never, never get drawn into a conflict at the time and place of your enemies choosing! Remember, pride comes before the fall. No less than the Duke of Wellington used Napoleon Bonaparte's reckless bravado, arrogance and distorted view of the French Armies fighting capability to lure the greatest general of the 19th Century into combat and his final doom at Waterloo. A tiny nation surrounded by enemies can't afford to become arrogant or dependent upon the notion that their enemies will always turn, take to the road and run from the IDF.
Second, Iranian commanders and HB terrorists counted upon knowledge that Israel and the IDF are casualty adverse. If they could kill an unacceptable number of Israel troops, they could cause the people of Israel to turn inward and fight among themselves. Not only do they cause the citizens of Israel to become angry and dispondent, they can count on a loss of faith and a painless destruction of Israeli moral. This priceless dictum must be shared with all peoples of the West, wars always involve the loss of life. Our foe knows this all too well. Israel and the West must recognize that we are going to lose a substantial number of our young people when we are effectively conducting a war. Hats off to President George Bush and the example he has set by handling the responsibility of taking US forces to war in Iraq and Afghanistan. Just because our enemy does not share and appreciate the value of human life, we must never give into the moment politically and run away from responsibilities. Nothing erodes morale faster than cynical, lazy or complaisant behavior at the command level. Israel has exchanged its ruling party several times due to the lack of accountability from elected officials. Never sell our children's lives cheaply, because of political concerns or polling numbers. If we lose the war on terror, we will have spent our children's blood in vain.
Third, it's great that the Israeli's are no longer trying to influence and appease the media's biased reporting of the latest conflict between Israel and the Hamas in the Gaza strip.
Fourth,Israel must not telegraph her punches. Never share what your troops are doing or tell them your goals or endgame.
Fifth, no one in the military can allow stringers or reporters to become embedded with their units at any time or place.
Sixth, no soldier, politician or activist must be allowed to speak to reporters about ongoing operations.
Seventh,Israeli Diplomats, must never be told any detail about what where or when the military is moving, because even they can not be trusted with secrets.
Eighth, employ a foreign diplomatic strategy that appears to be listening and sensitive to the opinions of the nations of the world. Use this talk of a ceasefire as a false flag that appears to be a new deal for peace. The terrorists monitor TV broadcasts like American children are dependent upon video games. You can use false news reporting as a lure to uncover hardened targets where your enemies highest ranking commanders are hiding. When they do come out into the open quickly kill them without remorse.
Ninth, these terrorists use the UN, schools, churches and mosques to protect and hide their weapons and people. Nothing like becoming cannon fodder demonstrates the hypocracy of Islam better than the cowardly behavior of "freedom fighters" and the presence of a special protected class. Once everyday terrorists know their leaders are hiding inside snug bunkers complete with satellite TV and internet access, it will cause many to lose heart and discard this phony crusade.
Tenth, play the nations of the world against your ultimate goal, you never know what the world might offer Israel in exchange for peace until you put all of your assets at risk. Maybe, the countries that want to call a ceasefire will decide to eliminate something more important, which is much more strategically important in exchage for peace. Who knows, maybe even the USA will agree to rid the world of the Iranian nuclear weapons? However, ignore their cries for a ceasefire and delay any real slowdown or reprieve in the fighting, because your enemy will use it to bring more deadly arms to bear. MANPADs are the IDFs greatest potential tactical threat to ongoing aerial operations in Gaza and greater Israel.
Eleventh, remember your ultimate enemies are the nation states that sponsor terror. Egypt, Russia, Iran, Syria and China have reportedly sent new weapons and much more capable anti-aircraft missile systems into the ME and Gaza in order to redress the imbalance of power and somehow turn the tactical advantage in favor of the nations surrounding Israel and the terrorist groups like HB and Hamas.
Twelve, an endpoint or exit strategy needs to be in place before operations begin. It must ensure that the resupply of Hamas from Egypt is finally at an end. Never yield captured borders without some potential strategic relief. Until Israel reaches the endpoint they have chosen before the conflict began, don't take your foot off the enemies neck.
Finally, I think Otto Von Bismark's statement that "war is merely the extention of politics by a different means" applies to the operation of the IDF in Gaza. In war fighting, Israel has learned some painful lessons from the incursion into Lebanon in 2005. The IDF has obviously taken away several maxims from her immediate past in fighting HB in Lebanon. History teaches lessons that prove fatal to those nations that fail to adapt. Obviously, Israel's military leaders learned something vital from fighting in Lebanon. Shalom