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| Israel-Palestine-Jordan |
| Peters: Israel's New Fear |
| 2006-07-17 |
| SOMETHING big hasn't happened in the current round of fighting between Israel and its terrorist foes. That absence represents a potentially fatal change in Israeli policy. For all of the air-attacks on targets in Lebanon, the Israeli Defense Force has not sent in ground troops. If IDF tanks don't thrust across the border in force in the next few days, it will reflect the greatest crisis of will in Israel's history. Israel is signaling its enemies that it's afraid to risk its soldiers' lives. And the terrorists read the message clearly. This caution will only encourage Israel's enemies - just when the seemingly inevitable advent of Iranian nuclear weapons poses the greatest threat to Israel since 1948. Israel faces enormous challenges and metastasizing threats. Like cancer, those threats will only grow worse if not treated aggressively. By trying to establish "psychological leverage" over the Lebanese government and population with attacks on the country's civilian infrastructure, Israel played into the hands of its enemies and came off as a bully in the eyes of the world. Attempts to wage "war-lite" have a heavy price. Israel is in a fight for its life, but looks irresolute for the first time in its history. It appears shockingly weak where it counts most, in strength of will. And will is one thing Israel's fanatical enemies do not lack. If, in the coming days, we do not hear the roar of IDF tanks pursuing Israel's enemies, we may one day hear a new lament for the children of Zion. |
| Posted by:Nimble Spemble |
| #15 Austin Bay has been reporting (via AT&T) that Israel has sent troops into Lebanon, probably about sundown, Lebanon time. Israel has full night vision capabilities, I doubt Hezbullshit has the same. |
| Posted by: Old Patriot 2006-07-17 22:11 |
| #14 Maybe Peters would like Olmert to challenge Nasralla to personal combat? |
| Posted by: gromgoru 2006-07-17 21:57 |
| #13 How odd that he would time this article to come out before the Israelis would be able to go in. It's like he's trying to communicate directly with Olmert and tell him what needs to be done. He's a good historian. I think he's falling prey to that desire to direct from the keyboard rather than to report. |
| Posted by: 2b 2006-07-17 21:29 |
| #12 I think he misses the mark as well. If Israel invades Lebanon in anything more than a smash and dash back to Israeli territory it will eventually be used against them. Brutal occupation and then any withdrawl turned into chased out. Best not to go in if staying becomes more painful politically. Best case scenerio is to get the lebanese military to occupy the region after Isreal has hammered it and done raids and done as much damage as possible short of full blown tank columns and occupation. Let the Leb military say they chases Israel out as they drove over the skulls of Hezbollah, whatever it takes to prop up the right people and remove the wrong ones. |
| Posted by: rjschwarz 2006-07-17 16:40 |
| #11 Somehow, they've got to be able to cut Lebanon in two, encircle Hezbollah, and then squeeze until the damn thing dies. I would use Damascus route for that kind of thrust. ;-) |
| Posted by: twobyfour 2006-07-17 15:48 |
| #10 The problem is they don't get a month. I do think Olmert has the stones, I just don't know if he has the time. |
| Posted by: Nimble Spemble 2006-07-17 13:37 |
| #9 I think that Peters editorial is ill-timed. If the Israelis really mean to destroy Hezbollah, they are going to have to take some enormous risks. Somehow, they've got to be able to cut Lebanon in two, encircle Hezbollah, and then squeeze until the damn thing dies. A frontal attack across the Lebanese border doesn't work since Hezb will just retreat/go to ground, forcing the Israelis to occupy Beirut again and subjecting their lines of communication to constant harrassment. I honestly don't know if Israel has the will or resources to attempt this. I personally don't think that they have any choice. But Peters is off the mark here. I agree with 6 that Israel is shaping the battlefield right now. If they haven't attacked in a month, then Peters screed will have more standing. |
| Posted by: 11A5S 2006-07-17 13:26 |
| #8 The Egyptians and Jordanians would probably love to see an Israeli Pyrrhic victory over Hesballan. |
| Posted by: Nimble Spemble 2006-07-17 11:38 |
| #7 There is a good chance that Israel agreed to not send the tanks in return for a promise from Egypt and Jordan to lay off for a while. |
| Posted by: mhw 2006-07-17 11:11 |
| #6 Perters isn't exactly a pencilpusher. He had a very distinguished career as an enlisted man, NCO and commissioned officer. But that was a good while ago and he has some strong biases which distort his judgement in certain circumstances IMO. |
| Posted by: lotp 2006-07-17 10:42 |
| #5 Total BS article. Charge of the light brigade is a stupid suggestion from a pencil pusher. |
| Posted by: Inspector Clueso 2006-07-17 10:37 |
| #4 Remember also that Lebanon is tactically not just one country, but two. That is, Syria, on the flank, has to be seen as a serious threat to any ground assault. So any advance is Lebanon has to not only be long, but wide enough to keep the Syrians from dividing the Israeli forces. This would be done with a quick thrust just north of the border, with lots of SAM support and artillery to pound every ground access from Israel north, cutting off the Israelis in Lebanon. Then the Syrian air force would turn the tables on the trapped Israelis. The new Russian SAMs the Syrians have could then really punish the IAF trying to protect their ground forces. At that point, even the Lebanese army could be a player. |
| Posted by: Anonymoose 2006-07-17 10:35 |
| #3 Peters is desperately trying to look relevant. |
| Posted by: lotp 2006-07-17 10:08 |
| #2 This is crap. Israel is acting properly. Strategic strikes and covert ops to conserve forces and maximumize effect should be the rule of the day. They are surrounded by the enemy and should only commit forces when they know it will be decisive. |
| Posted by: 49 Pan 2006-07-17 09:48 |
| #1 The battlefield is being carefully prepared. |
| Posted by: 6 2006-07-17 09:39 |