[maquiladora]

The Israeli government isn't up for a fight at the moment. Look at their unwillingness to respond to the rocket attacks from Gaza. There's always a different excuse not to respond : tensions in the north, damaging the peace process etc...

The Israeli military failed to disable the non-state entity of Hezbollah during last summer's war. They have regrouped and still have thousands of rockets ready to fire against Israel again, and let's not forget, the kidnapped Israeli solider which started all that is still missing. So this Israeli government doesn't have the stomach to face another mess with an enemy with a lot more ability than Hezbollah.

If there's a change in leadership in Israel, then you might see a change in attitude.

[Williams]

Israel is suffering from liberal democrat disease, and it is really scary to see it in a country that literally is on the front line, surrounded by enemies. If the left can cause an endless search for peace with the likes of Syria and Iran, they can undermine any society.

[ClearCase_guy]

Something that really scares me is that the lack of political will in the past has resulted in a lessened military capability.

If pushed to the wall, Israel might find the political will to fight back hard (that could occur overnight) -- but military effectiveness doesn't come back so quickly.

So, if pushed to the wall, their existence at stake, ready to fight, but with forces that can't perform as well as they used to -- would Israel use the bomb?

[GeorgefromGeorgia]

Does Syria really want to get its ass kicked again?

[dmartin]

The Israeli military failed to disable the non-state entity of Hezbollah during last summer's war. They have regrouped and still have thousands of rockets ready to fire against Israel again, and let's not forget, the kidnapped Israeli solider which started all that is still missing.

Just so that none of us forget, there are three Israeli soldiers still missing from last summer's war not one. There are at present eight Israeli soldiers kidnapped or missing in action.

Israeli MIAs.