I told her, if I’m an incompetent commander of Hezbollah who has no military tactic and strategic’s training in military campaign (which I think they are), I would perceive this is a tremendous weakness and I will move my men to engage and stop the advance of the Israelis “insufficient in number” troops, to bid the time so the world can force Israelis to withdraw from the border to return to the status quo. With my useful idiots working in almost all of the world’s mainstream media, I am guaranteed to win the propaganda news waves beamed to the idiots of the world, and by reading too much of the world’s useful idiots media analysis, I probably would believe in that too. The problem is if the Israelis also knows how to use the useful idiots to broadcasting their problems as disinformation campaign so they can wait with their 2 divisions iddling at the border (they just moved the Gaza division off Gaza yesterday) for my troops to take the stand and in the course of doing so, exposed my troops from the hidden population which they know they can’t afford to fight a war that way, then I take my men to a dead trap in a complete frontal classical military confrontation which my men is no match for my enemy when they can move at ease to disrupt my supply line and communication through air power while the best I could do is shoot some missiles then run.

Of course, I am not neither the Israelis commander no the Hezbollah commander, but I know for sure one thing, the Internet market is full of noises not unlike third world country’s fish markets and keyboard military commanders don’t last 5 seconds in a real war. So atke it with a lot of salt

One flaw in your argument: The IDF did not “fail” to capture the two towns in question. They did capture them, though at heavier cost than they expected. That’s how they discovered the intact Iranian communications equipment in the town they called Hezbollah HQ.

Your point about the Israeli government being casualty averse is well-taken, though. But the latest from Drudge suggests that the Israeli public is in a very bellicose mood right now, and that should mitigate against squeamishness.

While I see your points, and may even somewhat agree with them, as you state, its been TWO weeks. The hez’s have had six years to build defenses, on what pedestal have we placed the Israel’s? None of us should speak until it is done. And yes, I am guilty of otherwise.

There having got that out of the way, I guess it’s safe to hazard an uninformed opinion.

Unless you want to just go to ‘Total War’ part of the effort must be on the ‘image front’. I don’t see how failing to take 2 towns just inside the Lebanese border, can be considered as part of a ’successful’ campaign. It does not matter that the Hezbollah trash are now dead. What matters is the ‘image’ of Israeli forces being unable to CRUSH them, without throwing the kitchen sink at them, and taking serious casualties. Arab reality bears as much relationship to ‘real reality, as I do to having Bill Gates bank account.

I know what Wretchard says, but I have this feeling that the IDF and its political masters are casualty adverse . I don’t think you can ‘win’ by fearing casualties. If you don’t want to fight’ on the ground’, then break out the BIG stuff and simply obliterate EVERYTHING in sight. Israel seems to be dithering between two methods, and succeeding at neither.

What Israel is courting here is absolutely the worst of all worlds.

A. Failure to ’significantly’ hurt Hezbollah in a military or political sense.
B. The taking of ‘too many’ casualties for the small gains actually realised.
C. The FAILURE to WIN decisively. Thus creating a template for future battles which will be even more devastating.
D. The demonstration to all who want to observe of the very finite limits of ‘air-power’.

I hope Israel knows what it is doing. Frankly based upon the actions of the past two weeks, I have my doubts. If it knew what it was doing it would have called up ALL the reserves two weeks ago not in the piecemeal manner that has actually occurred.

There are too many stories about how Hezbollah is tougher than anticipated. That says nothing good about either the Intelligence Services or the Israeli Administration. Two weeks into the campaign is not the time to discover how tough things are likely to be.

There are worse things than being known as a brutal power. One of them is being known as a brutal incompetent and ineffective power.

I am hoping for the best but —-

“Next Gingrich” is nothing as a typo, nothing at all, compared to “bare to listen”!

Sorry, Roger, that’s not a pretty picture at all…

The Bush administration realizes that the Israelis are dealing with dedicated Jew haters. This is their true motivation and not the silly Marxist tinged nonsense that they are ìfighting for self determination and economic betterment.î Thus, these thugs must be either killed or jailed. Anything less is simply a waste of time and effort.

Will Iran and Syria be hesitant to rearming the Muslim militants? This is a question which cannot be avoided. Hezbollah cannot be allowed a rest period to regain its strength. This evil organization must be permanently weakened to justify the current struggle.