Israel’s ability to deter Muslim terrorist aggression against its people is on the line in a big way in southern Lebanon. If Hizb’allah survives its fight with Israel, terrorists everywhere will get the message that they can hit the Jewish state hard without fear of suffering annihilation in response. They will understand that Israel will never be allowed to do to them what America is doing to Al Qaeda and its allies.
Eli Hertz summarizes the issue well:
“Unfortunately, Israel’s power of deterrent against ‘low signature’ guerrilla warfare that uses Palestinian civilians as shelter and terrorism as a political weapon has been diminished by a host of factors, external and internal: Israel’s isolation in the international arena (and apologists for Arab terrorism abroad and at home) are interpreted as an ‘insurance policy’ that Israel’s hands will be tied or partially tied in its response.
“In addition, despotic leaders’ misunderstand democratic debate and Israeli society’s genuine strengths and weaknesses and they misread limitations on the use of force stemming from Israel’s Jewish and democratic ethos. Well-intentioned policy decisions Israel has taken to defuse conflict and avoid friction have ‘boomeranged’ - perceived as cowering feeble-heartedness, undermining Israel’s power of deterrent.”
No one likes to see innocent civilians suffer, especially those who are held hostage by and oppose the actions of the terrorists in their midst. But if Israel does not put aside all other concerns and smash Hizb’allah now, this particular battle is just going to continue repeating itself, ultimately at the cost of far more civilian lives on both sides.
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3 comments so far ↓
1 George Jewson // Aug 5, 2006 at 1:34 pm
Can you please give me your address, I will send you a special delivery!
:=)
2 Tom Goodwin, G.G. // Aug 12, 2006 at 12:36 am
Given the current tactics of the IDF, there is absolutely no sense in continuing with this incursion. The IDF cannot defeat Hezbollah at the rate it is attacking. Either the IDF is going to have to escalate the conflict or pull back. Either way its a lose-lose situation for the State of Israel.
You don’t need to be a West Point army officer to know that “THERE IS NO SUBSTITUTE FOR VICTORY.” And, may I ask, what is the IDF plan for victory? We have yet to see it.
Thank You, General McArthur for showing us the way to win World War II. Of course, there is no victory is World War III as the whole world will be in flames.
3 Victor Passenheim // Aug 15, 2006 at 7:53 pm
George,
I don’t really think you like girls, because there’s 72 virgins waiting for you in the beyond if you would just blow yourself up - but you’re still talking…
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