Ex-defense min.: IDF could have brought Hezbollah to its knees

Not sure I had the time to paste my post in my first post. Boss... "I don`t want Israel to be destroyed....I don`t deny Israel`s right to exist." Really Silvienne? ........The citizens of Sderot can move anywhere they like. ....IDF refuses to even allow powdered milk into Gaza for the babies! . Dave,the IDF is denying the entry into Gaza of powdered milk for babies...you`re a doctor. These babies may die. Also, Israel signed the Geneva Convention which prohibits collective punishment. Surely you can`t condone this? ... David Israel: Silvienne _ I just checked the dry milk situation have verified the dry milk situation with a person who monitors human rights for EU in Bruxelles. It is not something that has been proven. But you continued condemnation repeating it was reported on Haaret'z talkback.You said:I am not falsely accusing Israel of killing babies. I am quoting the above article which says that powdered milk for babies is not being allowed into Gaza. ......"The head of terrorsits are the ones who are in the the White House! Ahmadinejad and his administration are just apprentices" ......After you were told that qassams killed 6 people: "And Israel thinks that is (retaliation) the best response to the Kassams, which to date have killed no-one?" ......."redmike You should be in Israel, not London, where you could support the Israelis as they oppress the Palestinians." ...When Jeff explained to you that Gaza is not occupaied that what you were describing was rather a partial economic blockade or siege and not an occupation. you responded: I`m glad to see that you admit that Gaza is besieged. ..and so on and so on the list is long. Those are not taken out of the context you know it's true.I'm sorry Silvienne but your posts don't indicate your willingness for peaceful solution of the problem it looks more like you want to stir up animosity and constant tension between both countries and people accusing one side while looking for excuses.for other.Apologist or warmonger? The both are wrong. Patience and perseverance to push the both to sit together and start talking and negotiate is the way to go but to not say a word for one's crimes and go hysteric for other's retaliation.....not sure it's fair and can help.But you've made your choice I've made mine we are both sitting on the other side of the fence looking with distrust at each other and that's the reason why I'll keep personnal infos out of this zoo.But yes that's true that I speak 2 and 1/2 languages.That 1/2 is English.And now btw(back to work)Take care ;-)

"I don`t want Israel to be destroyed....I don`t deny Israel`s right to exist." Really Silvienne? ........The citizens of Sderot can move anywhere they like. ....IDF refuses to even allow powdered milk into Gaza for the babies! . Dave,the IDF is denying the entry into Gaza of powdered milk for babies...you`re a doctor. These babies may die. Also, Israel signed the Geneva Convention which prohibits collective punishment. Surely you can`t condone this? ... David Israel: Silvienne _ I just checked the dry milk situation have verified the dry milk situation with a person who monitors human rights for EU in Bruxelles. It is not something that has been proven. But you continued condemnation repeating it was reported on Haaret'z talkback.You said:I am not falsely accusing Israel of killing babies. I am quoting the above article which says that powdered milk for babies is not being allowed into Gaza. ......"The head of terrorsits are the ones who are in the the White House! Ahmadinejad and his administration are just apprentices" ......After you were told that qassams killed 6 people: "And Israel thinks that is (retaliation) the best response to the Kassams, which to date have killed no-one?" ......."redmike You should be in Israel, not London, where you could support the Israelis as they oppress the Palestinians." ...When Jeff explained to you that Gaza is not occupaied that what you were describing was rather a partial economic blockade or siege and not an occupation. you responded: I`m glad to see that you admit that Gaza is besieged. ..and so on and so on the list is long. Those are not taken out of the context you know it's true.I'm sorry Silvienne but your posts don't indicate your willingness for peaceful solution of the problem it looks more like you want to stir up animosity and constant tension between both countries and people accusing one side while looking for excuses.for other.Apologist or warmonger? The both are wrong. Patience and perseverance to push the both to sit together and start talking and negotiate is the way to go but to not say a word for one's crimes and go hysteric for other's retaliation.....not sure it's fair and can help.But you've made your choice I've made mine we are both sitting on the other side of the fence looking with distrust at each other and that's the reason why I'll keep personnal infos out of this zoo.But yes that's true that I speak 2 and 1/2 languages.That 1/2 is English.And now btw(back to work)Take care ;-)

Someone called "Misha" on these talkbacks called Ballistic "macacca" repeatedly in posts. "Misha" was called on it, by myself as well as others... Best regards

I don't want Israel to be destroyed. I want Israel and Palestine to both have independent states; the original mandate called for this, and as of now, only Israel has its state and has been stealing land from the Palestinians since 1967 to the point where a viable state for Palestinians is no longer very likely. I don't deny Israel's right to exist, but I want a Palestinian state to exist also. Now I'm interested however. You mention your city...where is it? And what are your first and second language? Myself, to my shame, I can only speak English...

The IDF could have done it: if they had any guts. And therein lies the IDF problem.

is beyond redemption! It's not his lack of familiarity with English,but his thinking that has gone awry.Note the racist comment,similar to the one made by that republican guy,can't recall his name about some democratic candidate being a macaca.I recall the fellow being raked over the coals for that comment! Regards

you must be icy queen if you don't care for Palestinians killed by Hamas or for Lebanese killed by Hezbollah.Show more sympathy for suffering of others and I will appologize.

Silvienne "...if America dumps Israel, how long does Israel last?" are your words that can be hardly interpretted as your wish for Israel that it abides by the international law.You talk about Israel's destruction.Be more friendly and less bloodthirsty because blood on the streets in the ME is not something what is missing.Dialogue,patience,negotiations are the future not the question how long will Israel last without America's support.The both sides committed crimes worthy condemnation from international community and the both sides should understand that the killing and eternal confrontations can be stopped with negotiations not with annihilation of the other side.Push for the peace Silvienne.Leave the warmongerring and the issue of Israel's right to exist to the yelling macaques lakshmi.She's paid for that.The rest of your post is too childish and not worthy of response. Take care Silvienne ;-) Oh my english :-) English is my third language without any significant meaning in my life so I don't really try to improve it.It's good enough to express my opinion on this talkback or to say Hello to a tourist visiting my city.Don't you agree Silvienne? :-)

That's it.

pathological!Propensity to distort what we are saying,name calling etc. . . Bottom line is that israel has to live as a law abiding nation.The 60 year reign of terror in the ME,especially towards the hapless Palestinians has simply got to stop. On another thread I just posted a notice on a fine article by F.Boyle,'Law & Resistance'(globalresearch.ca, only a couple of days ago).He makes the distinction between 'civil disobedience' and 'civil resistance',the former being disobeying unjust laws(and trying to change them,the latter being resisting government's subversion of its own just laws(Bush et al).Appropriate to the present American regime! Regards

Hello..I've just posted several times to infidel asking him why, in one post, he seems to dislike the idea of Israel living by the rules of the international community just like everyone else. Obviously he prefers Israel the occupier, oppressor and colonizer..one law for Israel, one for everyone else. Also he reads into our posts things that aren't there; I've called him on it in two posts.. Best regards to you

infidel to lakshmi: "You started the war,you brought the suffering to the Lebanese you are the criminals to blame for all deaths,destruction,,suffering,tragedy etc" Well, now I've read everything...I expect lakshmi will be surprised to hear she started a war... Your other insults to her: "you icy queen", "you whinning hypocrite" (I think you meant to say whining!) are totally superfluous. Lakshmi, like myself, cares for the Palestinians and Lebanese civilians, and Israel has killed far too many of both...

I'll pass by your silly namecalling ("fraulein")as I have no German ancestors and continue on to your post.Firstly, my dual nationality consists of British,and my own ancestors in London trace their history back to 1066 and William the conqueror;second,Swedish-American with ancestors from South Dakota,and I agree that the Lakota Indians should not have had their land stolen by the Scandinavians in the 1700s and 1800s. Secondly,what I wish for Israel is that it abides by the international law which is good enough for the world community and stops flouting UN resolutions and allows Palestinians their state just as Israel has its state. "I hope you won`t meet the same destiny you wish to the Israeli people" My post didn't"wish any destiny on the Israeli people",read it again.As for the conditions under which both my countries live as outlined above,I would be glad to wish that for Israel. See,infidel?It's actually possible to write a post without resorting to silliness...

It was nice of Lebenon to take care of all those old cluster bombs. After storing them for 20 years it was time to rotate them out with $3 Billion dollars worth of new bombs and missles. Maybee we can get some cheap Arab help to unload all these ships.

more on topic! And I have already indicated in the posts above what israel should do to be a law abiding nation.

"WhenAmerica drops Israel,then it will learn to live by the rules of the international community." Can you be more specific ? What is your idea about the teaching?How do you want to teach a nation?Do you intent to conquer Israel to teach Israelis how to live by the rules of the international community?What means will you use to convince them to live by the rules of the international community? If you want to teach someone you have to know how to do it so tell me what will be teacher's modus operandi lakshmi?Tell me lakshmi how don't be shy.Let your lust for Jewish blood talk.

lakshmi stop whinning about the bad treatment of the Lebanese civilians from the hands of Israelis and as a Hezbollah supporter accept the responsability for their suffering.You started the war,you brought the suffering to the Lebanese you are the criminals to blame for all deaths,destruction,,suffering,tragedy etc.If you are really so concerned about the welfare of the Lebanese then take a lesson from your defeat and don't mess with Israel but also with the lives of the Lebanese people anymore.Your famous Hezbollah breached almost all rules of the war ,used civilians as a human shield causing their death and bringing even the condemnation of the UN but I've never read a single line from you to condemn this Hezbollah crime you whinning hypocrite.You don't really care about a human live lakshmi do you?You care only for those killed by Israel but at least you show some faked compassion even if it is only for propaganda purpose you icy queen.That's all you can do lakshmi.Accept the death of Lebanese from Hezbollah,accept the death of Gazans from Hamas and fake the compassion for those killed by Israel.Stop playing with human lifes the life is not a chess game murderer.

zionist bragaddacio! As for 58(Infidel)his/her tone changes from boasting & bragging to whining.Infidel needs to be called!WhenAmerica drops israel,then it will learn to live by the rules of the international community.Its de jure existence is its only hope.Its very existence depends on the UN Resolution 181(Partition Resolution).Since then it has flaunted all UN resolutions!But its 60 years of de facto existence can be challenged by the next big guy who comes along.So its only hope is to obey the rule of law and return to the international community's fold.

"...if America dumps Israel, how long does Israel last?" When you say Israel you mean people living there so tell us what will happen Silvienne? What will happen to the people living in today's Israel when America dumps her? Do you agree with your friends that it is illegal to acquire a territory in a war? You seem to know more than you say so I repeat my question: What will happen to the people of Israel when America dumps them?What do you want to do with the population of 7 000 000? Convert to Islam or rename Israel to Palestine then withdraw the troops leaving all Jews continue their lives under Palestinian rule? You have a pretty bloody vision of the future fraulein Silvienne but what can we expect from someone living as a squatter on stollen lands whose "ancestors" had to kill or displace the native people to make place for the new generations of occupiers but don't forget you inherited not only the lands but also the soil soaked with the blood of the natives who had to die to make you happy.I hope you won't meet the same destiny you wish to the Israeli people.

"Get this clear, Jews and Israel are here to stay. Israel has been held on a leash but woe bedie the enemy that backs Israel into a corner" You are "here to stay" due to a great deal of American money, support and influence in the UN. Woe betide the day America ever changes her policy towards Israel, is what you should be saying, not boasting..."You have no idea who you are dealing with (Israel)"...if America dumps Israel, how long does Israel last?

"The only thing Mordechai knows about bringing people to their knees is ...young female soldiers who served with him Mordechai should have been released from the army after the "Chinese farm" battle in 1973" I agree with you. How shameful his misconduct was. How could he have thought in a million years that he would be allowed to serve in the IDF ever again after what he did?

If you consider the killing of about 800 Hez terrorists,the destruction of most of the Hez's bunkers, the retreat of the Hez beyond the Litani River, the introduction of foreign troops protecting the broken Hez killers, and the destruction of 1.5 billion dollars of Lebanese infrastructure as getting Israel's ass kicked,then there must be a misprint."Hez's" should have been substituted for "Israel's"

easy to gloat when you are sitting inside an airplane and dropping 4 million cluster bombs on civilians or dropping bombs on fleeing civilians on bridges & dirt roads!. . . What happened on the other hand in the 1940s in Germany? Sorry to be so brutal but your bluff & bluster deserved that question.

"The forces of Islamic extremism are rising in every country." Well Clicky, you should know that lives in the Great Britain

He rushed into it without thinking of exactly he wanted to achive other than kill couple of terrorists. Bush rushed into Iraq without thinking about what he what he wanted to achive after Saddam was overtrhown or how to do it. Bush & Olmert .. idiot minds think alike

1) Dan Halutz an airforce general put to much confidence in the role of air power .. when your fighting a conventional army in public spaces air power has a very big role to play in a conflict like this it was limited. 2) He didnt make enough use of the infantry untill late in the war when it was to late. 3) Olmert rushed into war without thinking about what exactly the objectives were and he agreed to a ceacefire before anything was achived so it was pointless Hizbollah are stronger now than they were before the war started so what did Israel get out of it? 4) There was to much politcal involvemengt in the running of the war. 5) Suucesive governments had cut the millitary budget and because of lack of money essentials were not bought, tanks were not fitted with systems to defend against rockets they bought the tank then to save money didnt fit them with systems to protect them. To save money training sessions for reserves was slashed so many were not trained for baattle.

got into airplanes and dropped 4 million cluster bombs on hapless civilians in the last 72 hours of the war! They dropped bombs on fleeing civilians,on bridges, dirt roads . . .and they returned home and slept comfortably in their beds. Cheers to the heroes of the IDF! They had become flabby attacking helpless women and children in the Occupied territories.,destroying farm land,bulldozing houses.Read Dalia Karpel's 'The One Who Makes People Talk'(Haaretz,Sept.29,2007;reprinted same date in www.imeu.net).IDf heroes who broke a 4 year old child's arm as it was playing in a sandbox.Read 'Breaking the Silence:What Soldiers do in the Occupied Territories' by Colin Hinshelwood,Asia Times,Aug.16,2007.All reports based on the testimony of some idf soldiers themselves who were disgusted with what was going on!

a beating. Hizbulla lost hundreds of fighters and significant amount of their arsenal and 1000 civilians, mostly from supportive shia population. Also Hizbulla was at least temporarily pushed north of the Litani. Israel failed to achieve any of its stated objectives. The two soldiers are still held in Lebanon, Hizbulla has been re-armed, and Israel lost hundreds of soldiers and civilians. Miltarily there was no winners. In the court of public opinion, Israel lost big time. It was viewed as mainly going after civilians and infrastructure, it disappointed Bush and Cheney, and lost deterrence power. Hizbullah became the hero of all Muslims, it stood up to Israel again, they will release all lebanese and many arab prisoners, and got re-armed. Israel has not been able to beat Hamas, let alone Hizbulla. History teaches that liberation movements only end with a political solution. This is why I support peace with Syria and the Palestinians. The Saudi plan is a good one.

if you have to declare that an army like idf has won against an organization like hizb'ala than israel 's in a sorry state.it's in a sorry state because it thinks everything has a military solution.two facts:the stated objectives(ridiculous lies)of the war,were not accomplished-not that they were worth the effort or the cost.more important israel's situation,or to use a highfalutin' term,its geo-strategic position has not improved or changed one iota,and its real,core problem,the palestinian is still staring it in the face.you can bomb lebanon,syria, gaza, ramallah it will still not go away.you will have to deal with it,and the more you outgun your opponent,the tougher your problem will be.

The Hez boys really gave up their lives in last year's war, but it was not done with their cooperation - all 800 of them.Throw in a billion and a half of infrastructure destruction in southern Lebanon and massive destruction to the rathole bunkers hiding the Hez, and you come up with the Hez's asymmetric ass being kicked really good.Dream on! It will only get worse if the asymmetrics want another round.

"Mordechai, who also once served as Transportation Minister, retired from political life in 2000 after being indicted for sexual misconduct during his military service." NO wonder he is barking like a dog. another memebre of the marally bankrupt zioinst machine

Israel should have used the same methods in Lebanon as they did in the late '40s removing the British rougue military from Palestine. The British soldiers were patsies after a few choice bombings, and they fled. Israel could have done the same with the Hez.

These are the words universally used by losers. Isn't Mordechai embarrased that they are used so often in such a short article? Israel should take a lesson from Lebanon2 and move on.

but who can blame you when you've never had the chance to be on the winning side?You've never tasted the feeling of the victors you only know the difference between bitter and bitterer taste of the defeat. The facts: ......When the United Nations wanted to impose a 48-hour ceasefire, it was Hezbollah which rushed to accept while Israel had to be pressured. Obviously this was because Israel had the military momentum in her favor. ......Israel pushed Hezbollah well away from the Lebanese-Israel border.Israel lost 116 soldiers while five to six hundred Hezbollah members were killed and nearly all of their bases, headquarters and tactical infrastructure were destroyed. Additionally, Israel took over every single village in southern Lebanon.During the conflict, Hezbollah said it would never agree to allow either the Lebanese army nor international monitors to patrol southern Lebanon. ....Even after the cease fire, Israel stayed in Lebanon for two more months in order to destroy all remaining Hezbollah outposts and bunkers while Hezbollah stood by and did nothing. During the conflict some of the Israel/Lebanon border fence was destroyed and torn down, and Israel was in no rush to fix it, since what's the point? Hezbollah will not want to mess with the IDF again! ...not too long ago, nearly all television and print media images coming out of southern Lebanon were that of armed Hezbollah fighters with their guns,outposts, and banners. Not anymore! Hezbollah is now hiding under rocks in Southern Lebanon and Nasrallah is no longer enjoying frequent visits to central Beirut, giving daily "Hate Israel" speeches,Nasrallah even admitted that had he known that even one percent of this war would have gone as it had, he would have NEVER kidnapped the soldiers and thus started the war! "We did not think, even 1 percent, that the capture would lead to a war at this time and of this magnitude. You ask me, if I had known on July 11 ... that the operation would lead to such a war, would I do it? I say no, absolutely not.? - Hezbollah Leader Sheik Hassan Nasrallah, August 27, 2006 ......After the war some Arab Governments claimed Hezbollah achieved a divine victory but lets not forget, that some of those Arab governments "STILL" until today claim that the Syria and Egypt won the 1967 War and the 1973 War. ...No one disputes the fact that Hizbullah started the fight," sayd a writer for Ya Libnan (Except our Silvienne ) ..... "The cease-fire acted as a life jacket for the organization [at the end of the Second Lebanon War]," a Hizbullah officer said in an interview aired by Channel 10 ...The officer shown on Channel 10 said the organization`s gunmen had been running low on food and water and facing rapidly diminishing arms supplies. ....The officer also said that many Hizbullah commanders were ordered to hide before the war started, and that the gunmen who remained were forced to fire Katyusha rockets from inside urban populations because of the IDF`s efficiency in destroying launchers minutes after a launch had been detected.

They should have listened to him and assigned him to a post in Nahariya, I heard that Israel's great serial rapists were in full gear at the shelters up there, he could've been a great added value to Israel's home front defence hahahahaha what a joke, he couldn't stop us from throwing stones at his convoy in Gaza Palestine's square back in 1989, let alone stop Hizbulla from firing katuyshas hahaha With such leaders Israel doesn't need enemeis hahaha

modest general, but nobody listened to. No wonder they lost the war.

Lefty kind of "humanism" was the reason for survival of Hesbos. But I think ,the deterance factor was established, not as I would like.Next time those saviges will think twice,There not going to be a red carpet treatment any more.

It was to have been a quick, easy and painless war. A few days of shock and awe dropped on Lebanon's infrastructure and the Lebanese army and government would instantly grow a spine and take down Hizbollah. What a plan! What idiocy. What was needed was to crush Hizbollah. Not Lebanon.

let us assume mardukh is right.hizb'alah are on their knees.and no one slaughters lebanese shiites,as if we care. now what?simple palestinians in west-bank all leave,mostly infiltrating into jordan,the rest to canada.gazans do the same after unanimously voting israel take strip.needless to say,golan non jews emigrate,a few lucky ones convert.sheba farms we exchange.so-by defeating hizbala,all our problems are solved.it's a pity the ex-minister did not pick up the phone and advise his friends at the time,becoming the first man in history to solve one national problem,by bringing another nation's militia to its knees.he would also become the greatest of our leaders since weitzman,bringing us long awaited peace.

Hindsight & propaganda are always 20/20 the FACT still remains that israel lost, badly.

Look beyond your backyard, Jewboy. There's a wind of change in the Middle East, and it isn't in Israel's favour. The forces of Islamic extremism are rising in every country. Five, ten years down the line, Iran will have acquired a nuclear deterrent, neutralising Israel's vast stock of clandestine warheads. Every war from then on will have to be won or lost with conventional weapons. Do you feel lucky, Jewboy? Do you believe that Israel will win every single future war? It will have to. One lost war and all the land thefts laboriously put together by Israel will be rolled back in days, with its illegal settlers fleeing back into Israel proper. The life of a gunfighter is short and bloody. It is imperative that Israel makes peace - NOW - when it can do so on favourable terms. Will it? I doubt it. Israel, and probably you, think the good times will continue forever.

The Land of Lebanon is a biblical one, the Cedars of which built the First Temple. 18 different empires, countries and peoples have occupied Lebanon and all have gone. The people (Lebanese) who occupy it now will go as well in time... Lebanon is a land unto itself like non other, belonging to no one. Just in the last few days, GOD has sent down the most purest of His creations, hail (water), to destroy the evil that the IDF sent to scar the Land of Lebanon and those who inhabit it. Eretz Levanon Chai!!

so a retired has-been offers his opinion? what about the reports that the reservists weren't trained? or that critical ammunition ran out during the war? or is this just news because haaretz will publish ANYTHING that makes the current government look bad?

"Who translates this stuff?" Clearly a person with a sense of humour.

"The fact is Israel lost because Hezbollah showed up to fight and the IDF sent a bunch of untrained kids to the front line." Hezbollah had some decent weaponry, knew how to use it, were highly trained in assymetrical warfare and were prepared to give their lives for a cause. Affluence has made powder puffs of the Israelis.

Why did USA handicap Israel in a manor to set her up to LOOSE the war? Tying Israels hands ? It as if Bush was WANTING Israel to WIN, and RICE was setting up stumbling blocks/OBSTACLES to Israeli success. Israels DEMISE is a MANIFESTATION and an EXTENSION of the war going on within the USA Gov't. The 5th column which is taking down America, is doing the same to ISrael, abiet covertly. ROME.

We are here to stay and best of all we learn from our mistakes AND FAST! You do nothing with your postings but try to incite people day after day! Get this clear, Jews and Israel are here to stay. Israel has been held on a leash but woe bedie the enemy that backs Israel into a corner. We did not even put 10% into Lebanon, and that comes from the experts. You have no idea who you are dealing with (Israel). Please go home, get jobs and get educated! Nothing better to do with your time. We have been dealing with anti-semites forever and guess what? Here we are! Am Israel Chai !!!

Israel could have dealt Hizbollah a crippling blow, but the casualties of such an operation would have been much higher, and there would have been no way to prevent a massacre of the civilian population in South Lebanon. Hizbollah uses guerrilla tactics, so they would have ambushed IDF on every corner, and sooner or later Israel would have started to eradicate Lebanese villages in retaliation. Since The Israeli Government knew they couldn't afford to bring Israel in a situation where it would (rightly) be accused of genocide, a limited success against Hizbollah was all that was possible in this situation.

The leadership failed by holding back - if you are going to "take Viennna, take Vienna".

There is no logic to explain why Israel did not destroy hisballa and capture Nasaralla and lay the grounds for a peace treaty with Lebanon. That's how you alienate Syria and Iran. One country at a time. It's not too late now that Barak is in charge.

absolutely correct,the only reason for israel's bitter defeat in the last war,was those two criminally insane.traitorous,incompotent,clueless,delusionalldiots,OLMERT and PERETZ if olmert will be prime minister during the next war,you can all be sure the results will be the same citizens of israel PLEASE PLEASE,for the sake of your country,for the sake of your children, get rid of this evil swine,who pretends to be your prime minister,but in reality he is a bigger danger then arafat,hizbollah hammas and all the terrorists combined,send this monster packing,if not you will all find yourselves packing your bags,because you will have no country left

The fools thought an air war alone could do it. When they realized it could not stop the rockets and missiles, they opted for the ridiculous "limited incursion" strategy. Finally, at the very end of the war, after dithering for 30 days,the palmgreaser ordered a large ground force attack, but then called it off after 36 hours. In short, Israel's political and military performance was reminiscent of the Keystone Cops.

The notion Israel lost in Lebanon because the IDF showed restraint is bull, The IDF bombed everything in sight civilian and military, one would just need to go to southern Lebanon or Beirut to see this. IDF thought that they could bomb civilian areas in Lebanon in the hopes that the population would rise up to Hezbollah rather then fight. The fact is Israel lost because Hezbollah showed up to fight and the IDF sent a bunch of untrained kids to the front line.

...IDF could have brought Hezbollah to its knees .... Yeah,yeah,yeah, bla..,bla..bla..The great IDF still can't accept what had happened to her. It was them who have been brought to Hezbollah's knees. Nobody can't change that forever. Feel pity on yourself, IDF? LoL.

Mordechai's contention that Israel could have won the Second Lebanon War is no different than someone saying that the U.S. could have won in Vietnam or Korea. The facts on the ground indicate otherwise. There was no plan, no timetable, no direction, and no military objective. The IDF destroyed large swathes of civilian infrastructure in Lebanon rather than concentrate its forces upon Hezbollah. It is apparent that they waned to destroy the Shiite and Palestinian population centers rather than the paramilitary forces deployed against them.

"Ex-defense min.: IDF could have brought Hezbollah to its knees" Of course you could,(((PAT, PAT))), of course you could.

The Israeli Army couldn't fight/win a war in which cowards hide amongst the civilian population. If it weren't for the incredible restraint shown, casualties would have been immense.

I'm puzzled by both Mordechai's response and the postings of the Hizballa supporters. Israel went to war to exact a heavy price from Hizballa and Lebanon for the kidnapping of our soldiers and shelling our northern towns and cities. Since the war ended there's been nothing but quite along the northern border. Nasrallah my roar like a lion but militarily he's been as quite as a mouse. Seems to me that the war may have been more succesful than its been given credit for.

Olmert and his sycophants bear total responsibility. We now see they were offered expert help but no, only when evicting jews from their homes does he order unrestrained force. When dealing with the moslem arabs, whose behinds he is kissing, who he wants to give our land to, we MUST use restraint. I wonder how much he's getting paid.

The real loosers are those Isreali's that don't find time to stop moaning.Given the same time of judgement as all the other wars,we will eventually come to the conclusion that it was another attempt at self defence.If you aren't satisfied this time Yitsik,maybe next time we're waste a few more civilians and then you can say that we rally taught Hezbolla a lesson. Meanwhile it's all quiet in the north,what wisdom can you share with our brethren in Sderot?

"IDF could have brought Hezbollah to its knees...", and I could have been John Lennon... Wake up my friend and look around you: I think it's the other way around: Hizbullah brought the mighty IDF to its knees...

if Israel gives back eastern jerusalem, you could actually move there and forget about the good times in ein Kerem. how would like it to live in the new formed state of palestine... i really cant wait for you , democracy as its best. you might begging for a fuck up from the new pal state and wish for a new war to be" reocuppied" and enjoy your freedom again. that is what i heard some gazans wish for on arab tv, to the bewilderment of the anchor who couldnt believe his ears. an another note, Sharon could have finished the hizbullah and get peace with our northern neighbour.

Your statement,"Sorry,try again and you will see more and more,"suggests that you don't mind your fellow Hezbollah terrorists and their Lebanese hosts suffering 1300 dead,1.5 billion dollars of destruction to Lebanese infrastructure, and destruction of much of Hezbollah's ratholes in southern Lebanon.That would be news to Nasrallah who regrets starting the war with the Israelis.The Hez still owes Israel for the kidnapped and murdered Israelis.The price is yet to be paid.

Tyhe retired general is correct. His policy of "never doing the enemy a small injury" would have been the corect one to follow. If according to Nasrallah Hizbullies were ready to surender in ten day , the Mordechai efforts would have come to fruition. Unfortunately. Olmert was at the helm, and so was Peretz, both of whom were incomptetent on a wholesale level. Pinpoint attacks are useless when you need a sledgehammer approach. So in all porbability Israel would have taken out Hizbullies completely. Lessons get learned. if anyone thinks the next round will be soft pin prick attacks, they got it wrong. It will be all out , no hold barred. So Hizbullies how many men do you want to loose. Mordechai was 100% correct, in spite of his detractors

Israel seems full of experts with 20/20 hindsight. Actually the IDF did encounter a very unusual problem. Their targets were returning fire. Pretty soon, they started destroying Israeli tanks. In spite of all Israels technoligical superiority, there comes a time when it is man to man on the ground. When this happened, the IDF withdrew (to put it politely). The reason was not because they didn't think they could win. It was because they were not willing to pay the price to win. Back seat drivers like Mordechai can tell us how they would have won the war, but in reality they did not have any weight upon their shoulders. It makes a world of difference.

The only thing Mordechai knows about bringing people to their knees is ...young female soldiers who served with him. Mordechai should have been released from the army after the "Chinese farm" battle in 1973

Mordechai said that the day after the war broke out he called then IDF Chief of Staff Dan Halutz: "I offered myself for any position they would want to gice me." he said. "When there was no response, I checked and understood that they were getting on. I also called Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and offered myself for any position he wanted. I have no issues of honor or any other issues. I am ready." Mordechai retired from political life in 2000 after being indicted for sexual misconduct during his military service. Who translates this stuff?

The last paragraph says it all. An expedient all out force was/is the only way! No holding back. Israel is becoming 'soft'.

I think it was may be okay last time but if you could please try again and you will see more and more of the same and worse result.

we could have lost... we sure don't know.