Israel has never lost a conventional war against the arabs - 1948, 1956, 1967, 1973, conventional phase of 1982.
Israel has never managed to succeed in a counter insurgency campaign in an arab population center. Lebanon (after the conventional phase), 1st intifada, 2nd intifada thus far.
Its time for Israel to play to its strengths rather than its weaknesses. Israel cannot win IN the West Bank cities and camps. Tanks are vulnerable in urban warfare, airpower of limited use. This fact is NOT altered by the lack of anyone to negotiate with, the current impossibilty of a political solution. The fact of war does mean that every tactic of war makes sense.
Israel can only win by shifting the conflict. This means WITHDRAWL, NOT for political reasons, (since the withdrawls involved would not satisfy even arab moderates) but for STRATEGIC reasons. Get out of the places hardest to defend. Then build a wall around the west bank. With barbed wire, mines, electronic sensors, watch towers, etc. Right wing israelis wont like this since it will mean giving up dozens of settlements. Tough luck. Arabs wont like it, since it will cut off the west bank from Jerusalem, and will likely leave Israel in control of places like Ariel,Maaleh Adumim, and Gush Etzion. Tough luck.
It will be argued that walls wont stop missiles or katyusha rockets. Air power can respond to those. It will never be perfect enough to stop all terrorist acts. No, but it will make the situation livable. On the Lebanese border there are still rocket attacks and occasional terr acts, but the situation is manageble.
It will be argued that this is giving in to the terrorists, and will encourage them, as in Lebanon. But an Israeli withdrawl that keeps all of Jerusalem, plus Ariel, Maaleh Adumim, and Gush Etzion in Israeli hands, and takes away terrorist leverage over Israel, will NOT be seen as a Palestinian victory, but as a defeat.
build a wall, withdraw, and crush the terrorists.
LOTM
Israel has never managed to succeed in a counter insurgency campaign in an arab population center. Lebanon (after the conventional phase), 1st intifada, 2nd intifada thus far.
Its time for Israel to play to its strengths rather than its weaknesses. Israel cannot win IN the West Bank cities and camps. Tanks are vulnerable in urban warfare, airpower of limited use. This fact is NOT altered by the lack of anyone to negotiate with, the current impossibilty of a political solution. The fact of war does mean that every tactic of war makes sense.
Israel can only win by shifting the conflict. This means WITHDRAWL, NOT for political reasons, (since the withdrawls involved would not satisfy even arab moderates) but for STRATEGIC reasons. Get out of the places hardest to defend. Then build a wall around the west bank. With barbed wire, mines, electronic sensors, watch towers, etc. Right wing israelis wont like this since it will mean giving up dozens of settlements. Tough luck. Arabs wont like it, since it will cut off the west bank from Jerusalem, and will likely leave Israel in control of places like Ariel,Maaleh Adumim, and Gush Etzion. Tough luck.
It will be argued that walls wont stop missiles or katyusha rockets. Air power can respond to those. It will never be perfect enough to stop all terrorist acts. No, but it will make the situation livable. On the Lebanese border there are still rocket attacks and occasional terr acts, but the situation is manageble.
It will be argued that this is giving in to the terrorists, and will encourage them, as in Lebanon. But an Israeli withdrawl that keeps all of Jerusalem, plus Ariel, Maaleh Adumim, and Gush Etzion in Israeli hands, and takes away terrorist leverage over Israel, will NOT be seen as a Palestinian victory, but as a defeat.
build a wall, withdraw, and crush the terrorists.
LOTM
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