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Another Arab myth was that they would have a spiritual advantage by launching their attack during Ramadan, Islam's holy month of fasting ordained by the Koran so that its followers "may cultivate piety." The Grand Sheikh in Cairo exhorted the beguiled with battle cries: "We are fighting for Allah, for Islam and for humanity." "Allah promised us heaven if we fight in his name, so let us rush to the noble battlefield."

The Arabs had a 20-to-1 edge over Israel in infantry forces and a 5-to-1 advantage in tanks. With this massive assault force, the enemy achieved a strategic and tactical advantage early in the war. Along the Suez Canal during the first two or three days of the war, only a thin line of about 436 brave young Israelis stood between the nation and disaster. In the first minute of the attack, the Egyptians launched a concentrated barrage of 10,500 Soviet-made shells on a handful of Israeli fortifications at the rate of 175 shells per second. Egyptian bombers then dropped their canisters of death, after which the first wave of 8,000 assault infantrymen threw themselves against the battered Israelis. An Egyptian commander later recounted how a lone Israeli tank fought off his infantry division for more than half an hour. This solitary tank inflicted heavy casualties on his troops. After repeated assaults, they finally overcame the tank. The Egyptian commander was amazed to find that all of the crew members had been killed with the exception of one badly wounded soldier, who had continued the fight. In tribute to these noble young men, Golda Meir later said, "They fought, and fell, like lions."

Ah, the brave Israelis! Israel is America's good friend; its very survival is threatened by the Palestinian campaign of guerrilla war and terrorism. This in turn threatens the peace of the entire region, with grave implications for our own national security. The US needs to send the strongest possible message of support for Israel.