Netanyahu confronts the new Middle East

[mawilson 2,133]

So one of the best-equipped military forces in the world is able to beat up a people with no army, no air force, and no navy. Impressive !

Is Israel supposed to disband the army, air force and navy and fight mano-a-mano? Get real.

[PalestineMyHeart 1,897]

Is Israel supposed to disband the army, air force and navy and fight mano-a-mano? Get real.

I'm saying that it's really nothing to brag about if the IDF can stomp a people with no real means of fighting back.

Who wouldn't expect a side that has billions of dollars worth of the best weapons the American taxpayer can buy (and is allowed by its Superpower Boyfriend to act with complete impunity) to be able to lord it over a mostly captive population with a very small number of poorly organized, poorly equipped irregulars ?

[PalestineMyHeart 1,897]

The Israelis have been coasting on their reputation for a long time, but way back in Gulf War I it was clear they made their record like a Don King fighter, padding their Win column against a bunch of bums. When I saw those pitiful Arab "soldiers" crawling toward US camera crews on their hands and knees to surrender, the first thing that went through my head was, "Whoa, so that's the kind of opponent the Israelis have been showboating against? Well Hell, my high school marching band could've beaten those Arab chickenshits!"

...

As long as the IDF was beating up on Hamas down in Gaza, it could hide its weakness most of the time. Not all of the time — pretty sloppy, letting Hamas commandos tunnel right into that base, blast a tank and kidnap poor baby Shalit right while he was thinking up his next capsule review. Still, except for the occasional slip, the IDF was safe in its F-16s and Merkavas, facing Pals with nothing but rifles and old RPGs. It's easy to look tough rolling through refugee camps in the world's most heavily armored tank.

But as you may recall, those tanks got a real different reception when they chased Hezbollah's raiding party back into Lebanon after the Hezzies killed three IDF soldiers and kidnapped another two. The IDF mid-ranking commanders had to act fast because the Gaza command was taking heat for not pursuing Shalit's kidnappers fast enough. So they shouted, "Charge!" and the first Merkava steamed over the border.

Guess how far it got. Ten meters. Ten goddamn meters. Then KABOOM! A Hezbollah mine or shaped charge turned it into a very expensive oven, with four crew killed. Another IDF soldier died trying to rescue them. So within a few minutes the IDF had lost eight men. As far as I know, Hezbollah's losses were zero.

It was a good plot twist: one minute the IDF is stomping around Gaza blasting amateurs, when something taps it on the shoulder, and there's Hezbollah, looking like Godzilla in a headscarf. Pretty funny moment, something almost Abbot & Costello about it.

No army enjoys getting invited to a second front just when it was starting to enjoy itself on the first one. Even the Wehrmacht rank and file was bummed when they heard they were getting shipped from the beaches of the Mediterranean to Russia. And the IDF was no happier when they realized they had to quit using Gaza as a speed bag to spar with an enemy that could kill eight IDF guys in a few seconds.

Casualties. That's the key here. Every war, every army has a different population base, different demographics, and a different take on casualties. Israel's biggest weakness has always been that it hates to take casualties. You can see that in their famous prisoner exchanges, giving away hundreds of Islamic prisoners to get back one IDF guy, or in one case just the bodies of a couple of dead IDF guys. You can see it in the design of the Merkava — a brilliant design, one that gives infantry the full protection of MBT armor, but also an indication that this army is terrified its guys might get hurt.

- Gary Brecher, The War Nerd (2008)

As I said before, I really REALLY don't think Israel wants any actual military battle with Turkey - they don't want to take the kind of casualties it would require to engage the 2nd largest force in NATO. And I really don't think Turkey wants one either - their government is not run by a bunch of psychopaths.

Word is that Netanyahu was ready to issue the apology, but Lieberman had a fit and flatly refused to go along. Lieberman has enough political clout to be able to bring down Netanyahu's government and force new elections, and Bibi is well aware of that.

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

As I said before, I really REALLY don't think Israel wants any actual military battle with Turkey - they don't want to take the kind of casualties it would require to engage the 2nd largest force in NATO. And I really don't think Turkey wants one either - their government is not run by a bunch of psychopaths.

Word is that Netanyahu was ready to issue the apology, but Lieberman had a fit and flatly refused to go along. Lieberman has enough political clout to be able to bring down Netanyahu's government and force new elections, and Bibi is well aware of that.

I don't think Bibi was that eager to apologize. If anything, he ratcheted up the rhetoric on his recent tour of right wing commentators in the US, as he continued to dehumanize peaceful efforts to support the Palestinian cause.

[PalestineMyHeart 1,897]

I don't think Bibi was that eager to apologize. If anything, he ratcheted up the rhetoric on his recent tour of right wing commentators in the US, as he continued to dehumanize peaceful efforts to support the Palestinian cause.

Well, who knows what really went on behind closed doors, but this is what was reported in Israeli media:

Lieberman deplores Netanyahu for leaning toward apology to Turkey

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

Well, who knows what really went on behind closed doors, but this is what was reported in Israeli media:

Lieberman deplores Netanyahu for leaning toward apology to Turkey

Sounds to me like Lieberman is trying to stay to the right of Netanyahu. Other than getting a bit of unsolicited legal advice, I don't see any movement toward reconciliation on the part of Netanyahu, especially after the interview he gave Huckabee shown on FNC over last weekend.

[mawilson 2,133]

Sounds to me like Lieberman is trying to stay to the right of Netanyahu.

Trying to? Lieberman is the Israeli equivalent of Ann Coulter.

[Captain Oates 911]

So one of the best-equipped military forces in the world is able to beat up a people with no army, no air force, and no navy. Impressive !

Don't underestimate the US armed forces as it has only taken them 10 years to 2% defeat the Afghans who have a huge population of 30 million (10% of the US) and are almost the poorest people in the world

Flushed with their success, they are planning an attack on Northern Iceland next year and that could be completed in less than 6 years if things go as planned

Remember Korea and Vietnam and Laos and Cambodia and Iraq and Afghanistan and Grenada and Libya and the bay of pigs and Kent State and never underestimate a super power which has more than 50% of the world's military spending