Boots on the ground
“This has always been a stage-by-stage process,” said Shlomo Dror, a Defense Ministry spokesman, in a telephone interview as the ground campaign was getting under way. “Hamas can stop it whenever it wants,” by stopping its rocket fire, Mr. Dror said. new york timesWith widespread domestic support and limited international reaction – one suspects most Sunni governments are rooting for Israel on this one – Israel goes in to Gaza.
I suspect that most of the activity will be somewhat invisible. First off there will be the sappers taking out tunnels in Southern Gaza. Second, there will be the detailed destruction of particular and well identified Hamas targets. Many of those targets are underground and will require the IDF to secure a particular area and then send in the sappers. Third, I would expect Israel will send in small parties to shoot Hamas one by one.
We know that Hamas has been fortifying positions in Gaza city especially. I would be very surprised if the IDF actually tried to take those positions directly. As well we know that the Hamas “fighters” have been stripping off their uniforms and blending into the civilian population. Apparently their doctrine, inspired by Hezbollah’s success a couple of years back, is to attack from the rear at night. I suspect the IDF may have learned one or two things in Lebanon as well.
Most importantly, Shlomo Dror has set out exactly what Hamas must do to make this end as well as what Israel will be seeking as an operational goal.
January 3rd, 2009 at 8:12 pm
“With widespread domestic support and limited international reaction – one suspects most Sunni governments are rooting for Israel on this one – Israel goes in to Gaza.”
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That’s exactly what I’m thinking, too. Somewhere in the last few years the Arab world has morphed and I’m thinking it’s because of Saddam Hussein being toppled and Iran has gotten its grip all over the Islamist factions within the Muslim world. They have sure sealed Lebanon’s fate for now, anyway, via their Syrian and Hezbollah proxies.
BTW, what’s a sapper?
January 3rd, 2009 at 8:12 pm
Sorry. That was me.
January 3rd, 2009 at 8:13 pm
“With widespread domestic support and limited international reaction – one suspects most Sunni governments are rooting for Israel on this one – Israel goes in to Gaza.”
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That’s exactly what I’m thinking, too. Somewhere in the last few years the Arab world has morphed and I’m thinking it’s because of Saddam Hussein being toppled and Iran has gotten its grip all over the Islamist factions within the Muslim world. They have sure sealed Lebanon’s fate for now, anyway, via their Syrian and Hezbollah proxies.
BTW, what’s a sapper?
January 3rd, 2009 at 8:14 pm
Crap. My first comment didn’t land where I wanted it to go, so it came in second.
January 3rd, 2009 at 8:19 pm
Louise, it is an old term for demolition or explosive expert. The wikipedia article on sappers is actually quite good.
Basically they blow shit up.
January 4th, 2009 at 6:44 am
Thanks.