ANALYSIS / Excellent intel on Gaza shows Israel learned from its errors in Lebanon

At a Hanukkah candle-lighting at the Shin Bet security services headquarters two weeks ago, Yuval Diskin spoke with former heads of departments about the organization's preparedness to confront Hamas. The head of the Shin Bet sounded quite cautious. Perhaps even he was surprised by the quality of the intelligence that he and his people had succeeded in providing the Israel Defense Forces during the months of planning that preceded Operation Cast Lead and in the days prior to its launch.

Even those who object to the war in the Gaza Strip will find it hard not to agree that this time around, the intelligence community mostly succeeded in delivering the goods. Seen in the light of the Second Lebanon War failures, these achievements are particularly impressive. Back in 2006, the strategic data provided by the intelligence community was deemed sound, as it allowed the air force to within 34 minutes destroy most of Hezbollah's hideouts for its long-range rockets. But there were many shortcomings at the level of tactical intelligence, especially field intelligence. Even if Military Intelligence had had information about Hezbollah bunkers or outposts, this intel did not always succeed in reaching the forces in the field.

The Israel Defense Forces drew lessons from its failures, and this time, the fighters were better prepared. They are equipped with good intelligence measures and also have access to reliable information while in the field. The dissemination of intelligence is made possible by Shin Bet case officers, who work out of IDF command centers.

Another important factor leading to this success is the close and unprecedented cooperation between the Shin Bet and Military Intelligence: Military Intelligence with its 8200 signal intelligence (sigint) gathering unit in the technological realm and Unit 504 that runs agents, together with the research division and air force

Yo scout.
Let us hope the Israel defense and intel branches take every hint of any in-efficiency seriously and make positive corrections. They can ill afford to miss the boat even once in their long term predicament.
PS.
Are you OA? I am. Treasure Island Unami Lodge, 1962. Way back then I was in the Philadelphia Council so got to camp at TI almost every year for some six years. What a place. So full of fine memories. Being the lead bugler during my final year with my troop and Sea Explore ship, and leader of our drum and bugle corps., had the honor of playing call to colors and colors that week I attended the camp, as we passed in review each evening on the parade grounds before evening meal. What a place! On an island for a week one had to use barges to get to. And sleeping at the 1st OA lodge, more then once. Seeing the then only started burial areas the Delaware Indians used on the island long before the white men showed up. So many fine memories of scouting, camping, hiking, summer camps, in my case many parades with drum and bugle corps., having a lot of fine decent and hardy real men from WWII and Korean War vintage to show us how to become real men. I have been blessed.
Not having a son later on, but one great lovely daughter, and moving away to make my career path, I got away from scouting.
Years later to return to PA, and then finally live and work around where my younger brother lived, a scout master for a few years while my nephew was in scouting and made it to Eagle, again fell back in line, and helped their troop on camping expeditions etc..
Due to loss of job and other calamities again fell short of attempting to get back into scouting.
There is something almost magical about being with a few hundred or more scouts say at the mess hall singing, and watching the young ones enjoy themselves, watching them learn how to do basic skills in so many outdoor events, learning how to build a fire and sustain it, from almost nothing. How to build temp shelters, how to save a life, how to swim, how to handle hatchets and axes without harming themselves or fellow scouts, perhaps in this day yet, how to raise a tent that has fallen due to winds etc., how to march in cadence, how to think about God and Country. God bless all scout leaders who give of themselves to bring up boys to become good citizens and better men then they might have been without the scouting experience.
But the wonderful memories stay dear in my mind. Hope you can continue to serve in such a worthy cause with your time, and most likely other sacrifices.
For those in the military. Yes I know the proper time call to colors and colors should be played. But at our scout camp both calls where played one after another as the flag was lowered in all it's glory and folded with care prior to dinner mess call as all where assembled on the camp grounds and gave all reporting all present and accounted for, proceeded by a march around the parade grounds prior to being dismissed. I am sure for the tens of thousands of scouts that camped at TI for so many years, this ceremony meant something special.
It surely did for me. I salute the Scout leaders of my troop and ship that served in harms way during those wars, and later could find time to become involved in scouting.
Forgive me for the deviation SL. I checked your profile for the first time. Could not hold back.

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