Israeli Military Amazed, "Jealous" At U.S. War Against Iraq

World Tribune.com ^ | 04/14/2003 | Special to World Tribune

[Dirk McQuickly]

TEL AVIV — Israeli defense officials and military commanders have expressed amazement over the capture of one of the largest and most powerful Arab countries by what they say amounted to fewer than three U.S. Army divisions.

The officials said the U.S. strategy of avoiding enemy troop concentrations as well as exploiting combat air supremacy comprises methods far more advanced than those employed by the Israeli military.

"This has been a very strange and unprecedented war and it will take us awhile to learn what took place," Yuval Steinetz, chairman of the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee, said. "We will have to learn from this war and draw the conclusions."

"I am jealous of them [U.S. military]," Maj. Gen. Dan Harel, head of the Israel military's C4 directorate, said. "They have advanced in areas that we were leading in only a few years ago. They have the ability to put everything together in command and control. Our navy and air force have systems. but we have to integrate them."

Officials and military commanders agreed that the U.S. war in Iraq overshadowed the 1967 Israeli victory over four Arab countries, including Iraq. They said the United States sustained about 100 casualties in three weeks of fighting that resulted in the capture of Baghdad and most Iraqi cities. In contrast, about 600 Israeli soldiers were killed in the six days of the 1967 war, most of them in the ground battle with Egypt in the Sinai Peninsula.

[Mark Felton]

Enough of the Iraqi's were brave enough, like the 3,000 that we killed during the first Thunder Run in Baghdad.

Their problem is that they sit in a window and keep emptying their AK-47's until they are killed. utterly stupid.

My approach tells them to shoot then run.

Their problem is that they are too damn suicidal.

As for imagination, I just suggested countering the strength of the armor force with basic tools. It's more Sun Tzu perhaps than anything.

[Lady In Blue]

Speaking of lights,has anybody heard or read when the electricity and water will be back on? Thanks.

[Mark Felton]

Today the head of the electric facility said 5 days.

[ApesForEvolution]

It would take an awful lot of MOABS to take out the literally thousands of artillery pieces trained on Seoul.

[gcruse]

I don't like the idea of the US selling any of their equipment to anyone that can't be trusted with it. You could potentially facing your own stuff in the battlefield. Let them buy the crap stuff.

Monkey models.  That's what the Soviets called them.  They sold dumbed-down versions of their military equipment, keeping the top line at home.  That's why the Mig that we got our hands on when the pilot defected in the seventies (?) was such an eye opener.  We put up a tent over it to hide what we were doing from Russian surveillance and dug into the plane.  What we found was a shock.  Bolt heads weren't even planed off and the pilot was basically riding a titanium rocket.

[Blueflag]

Not to worry. the effect is very localized unless the device is very powerful. Very powerful still translates into very large.

Our truly important facilities have DR/BC plans in place and have remote site fail-over plans in place.

The offense always has the advantage over the defense. So as long as the terrorists see our offense as more effective, we have a decent deterrent. It's the new century's MAD logic.

A 50,000' foot airburst of a powerful nuke would do a lot more EMP damage over a large footprint. For now, EMP bombs are tactical weapons, surgical in nature.

[Blueflag]

I can't go with you on the numbers of artillery pieces in range of Seoul. They could start a fearsome barrage, but would not be a pinpoint strike. MOstly it would kill/disrupt civilians. Also it takes time to deploy, supply, target, fire, manuver, target, fire, etc.

While the interim would be ugly, the South Koreans with our help would prevail.

The NOrth should be feared for their craziness, not their power.

[Blueflag]

I'm with you. If the South is prepared, they can absorb the initial damage and push as far north as they desire in a few months. No need to occupy the North though really, as a combat action. Just render them combat ineffective and prevent re-supply. They'll expire on their own.

[Diddle E. Squat]

I dunno, seems like incapacitating our satellites could go a long way towards evening the odds. Luckily Iraq had no ability to do such. OTOH, China and Russia...

[Republicanus_Tyrannus]

Only one problem. They could dive for speed, cross the border, and kill themselves (snap the airframe) doing a fliptoss.

Inaccurate as hell, but at the right altitude and speed--- the blast radius could easily hit Seoul.

[montag813]

The Israelis could do the same with their airpower if they wanted. We are going to find that anyone using US technology will rule the battlefield.

The Iraqis would have fought MUCH harder if it was Israel itself which was the onvading force. Big difference there.

[ambrose]

bump

[EaglesUpForever]

The Americans were inspired. As a Christian I would say that they were inspired by God.

I would say the same thing. I would also add that after 9/11, our men and women were fired up, they were not about to pull punches.

Justice was also on our side: right makes might. Terrorism was already a moral dead end, though that was more evident to us in the west who experienced 9/11 than the lazy terrorists that perpetrated the act.

Now, terrorism has been shown that it can be a physical dead end as well. That is probably the only message that will work in the middle east.

[F16Fighter]

"The Israelis could do the same with their airpower if they wanted. We are going to find that anyone using US technology will rule the battlefield."

Are you kidding?? In your dreams...

U.S. training, guts, pride of tradition, and cohesion makes us superior by far -- but the sense of "knowing" we are backed and blessed by the moral authority of 'God' Himself makes us totally invincible.

[M Kehoe]

I hope Assad and the other Arab nations have learned a lesson. To wit: if you mess with the bull, you get the horns.

Paging Mr. Kim, Mr. Kim Il, Kim Il Jong. Please pick up the nearest courtesy phone.

5.56mm

[69ConvertibleFirebird]

I wonder if the same tactic of shock and awe would work on N. Korea?

Depends on whether N. Korea really has nukes, and how many.

I believe that one would be "Shock, BOOM, and Awe."

[NeonKnight]

Never thought about it before but America has THE most battle hardened military in the world.

The capabilites of our armed forces are impressive, but it is so much more than just conflict. It is complete psychological dominance. It is always taking the innitiative and forcing the enemy to respond. It is throwing more darts, from more different directions, than his system can tolerate. Brilliant!

[WOSG]

Yes, we can beat any tyranny on earth with less trouble than iraq took - except China. What about China? What about Russia?

I sure hope these other countries are contemplating the consequences of this. We really ARE the top dog of the world militarily, bar none.

[risk]

Key components of the strategy: pick a country that...

A couple of comments come to mind:

• This only illustrates how important having a strong and effective technological edge can be. We can't slack off now just because we sense we're "ahead."
• Satellite defense and ABM technology are going to be critical. We must not delay in implementing these.
• We could have been up against a much tougher army. Would we have been able to handle the casualty count? I was ready.
• What about casualties at home in the event of a terrorist counter-strike. I think we should be preparing ourselves for this more aggresively.