Yedioth Aharonoth
Who
won? As much as the 2nd Lebanon
war was crucial to the country, our behavior afterwards is much more crucial. Meanwhile, we're like a boxer lying on the floor and banging his head on the boards in the end of the round - in a minute, if we don't come around, we'll get knocked-out!!!
To those who think everything's falling apart, remember that this spirit is brought on us by the media and little politicians who come out of their holes precisely in difficult situations - and not to take leadership. Optimistic? - Well the IDF has lost the war! IDF hasn't lost! Had we lost we would have
seen hundreds killed (thousands), we'd have seen
dozens of burned tanks (not just a few), we'd have seen Hizbullah on the fence, we'd have seen dozens of plains brought down (and not singles), we'd have seen drowning ships (not only almost), and we'd have seen Nasralla marching down the streets - and not on a video. The victims are hurting but this isn't how losing looks like. Did IDF achieve all its goals? No! We thought it would be easier to clear the surface from Hizbullah but in spite of the colossal damage we caused them (hundreds killed) they
didn't surrender. We thought the international and Lebanese pressure will make them surrender and they didn't, yet they hurried to agree to the cease-fire, and even after we killed 10 of their men after the cease-fire they didn't shoot back. We should have wiped out their villages! In a town like Bint-Jbeil there are more than 3,000 houses, the air-force reported attacking dozens to a few hundred destinations each day - that's plenty, but clearly you can't really wipe out villages (although that's what we feel like doing). On the other hand, none of us would trade with any Lebanese person nowadays. No
reserve soldier would want to be hiding in houses that were hit. But there were a lot of screw-ups in the army - how can there be a food and water shortage? There's a difference between a small shortage during training before combat, which shouldn't occur though everyone has come across an adjutancy problem here and there - and in such a big scale and a short preparation time - it can happen. To separate, the shortage during combat originated in a complicated operational problem. Because of Hizbullah's deployment and the kinds of weapon it operated, most movement was on foot, and when IDF had grasped a territory it was unable to secure the trails completely. Bringing in food supplies would have endangered more forces in vain. Many allegations were made about contradictive orders. A military
action is conducted gradually. There's much criticism about lack of equipment. True, on the one hand every time they opened the war reserve-stores units these stories were heard. It's no excuse, but obviously the army invests first of all in equipment used daily in the occupied territories, and only then closes gaps in the reserve-stores units. Either way it's a matter to be looked into. It's unacceptable for the Chief of Staff to be selling stocks the day war breaks. No doubt this action didn't pay-off, moreover the alleged inside trading is a ridiculous allegation, for by noon when he sold the stocks there were sails for over a billion NIS (was everyone inside-trading?). They say his mind wasn't all into warfare. How long does it take to tell a bank clerk "sell" (especially when your secretary is phoning for you)? But an Air-Force man can't command infantrymen. Mistakes might have been maid. However, both Raful and Yanush have made mistakes entering Lebanon before, and right now it's not clear who didn't approve a massive ground operation, or whether that kind of action would have been righter. It's important that the Chief of Staff will be strong and able to lead us to another round if necessary. So what? There's no need to investigate? Of course there is, in this action in particular there are many lessons to be taught. Especially when round two is close and might include Syria. Thelusions that will reach Gadi and Yonit - they won't be running the next war (though they will surely criticize it). What do you care? Let them investigate. You care because the Arab world is watching, if what they see is a bitten, divided country. Leaders and generals accompanied by lawyers, they might think Nassralla's right and Hizbullah won. So who won? During combat IDF hurt Hizbullah wariors severely. Hizbullah's infrastructure which included concrete bonkers, communication devices and weapons were completely destroyed in the border line, and severely hurt all over the war zone. Lebanon's army is now spread in the south of Lebanon for the first time in many years and against Nassralla's wishes. Nassralla's fighting for his political future in Lebanon. IDF soldiers are coming out of Lebanon motivated to return if needed. Those who believe in their way and stay united as a nation will be the winners in the end. But what can you do? Everyone's talking about losing. Not everyone! I'm not! So what to do? Get over the depression, hang a flag on the window, go to Kiriyat Shmona, travel the north, switch to the movie channel when broadcasters are pouring poison and...Go Israel!!
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