July 21, 2006
Dug In
It is reported that the Israeli force advancing into Lebanon have encountered tough resistance from Hizballah fighters entrenched in a system of tunnels and bunkers.
Heavy fixed defenses were last used succesfully in WWI, but then become rather obsolete. The Maginot line didn't even slow down the German thrust into France; in the Pacific theater the entrenched Japanese opposed a fierce resistance but in the end were defeated (and the fight was brutal). The problem with fixed defences is that however strong, the enemy can concentrate fire on them until they're broken. The Taliban and al-Quaida fighters found death and not glory in the caves of Afghanistan.
Even the much-vaunted Vietcong and their tunnels were defeated, though with a relevant effort.
And this is the fate that awaits Hizballah as well. It won't be a walk in the park, but the Israelis have the preparation, the determination and the equipment to win.
Clearing tunnels is a dirty job; the classical tools of this trade are flamethrowers and pole charges, but new ones have been added: thermobaric munitions and ground-penetrating bombs. Indeed, Israel bought a few thousand ground-penetrating bombs a few months ago; now I think to deal with the Hizballah tunnels rather than an unlikely attack on Iran.
If the people inside tunnels cannot be killed or disabled directly, it is always possible to collapse the entrances and trap them inside.
On the political side, the major players (US and UK) aren't really doing anything to stop Israel, and the proposal of sending UN troops seems to be going nowhere either. Everything points towards Hizballah getting a severe beating, and it's not too early.
Heavy fixed defenses were last used succesfully in WWI, but then become rather obsolete. The Maginot line didn't even slow down the German thrust into France; in the Pacific theater the entrenched Japanese opposed a fierce resistance but in the end were defeated (and the fight was brutal). The problem with fixed defences is that however strong, the enemy can concentrate fire on them until they're broken. The Taliban and al-Quaida fighters found death and not glory in the caves of Afghanistan.
Even the much-vaunted Vietcong and their tunnels were defeated, though with a relevant effort.
And this is the fate that awaits Hizballah as well. It won't be a walk in the park, but the Israelis have the preparation, the determination and the equipment to win.
Clearing tunnels is a dirty job; the classical tools of this trade are flamethrowers and pole charges, but new ones have been added: thermobaric munitions and ground-penetrating bombs. Indeed, Israel bought a few thousand ground-penetrating bombs a few months ago; now I think to deal with the Hizballah tunnels rather than an unlikely attack on Iran.
If the people inside tunnels cannot be killed or disabled directly, it is always possible to collapse the entrances and trap them inside.
On the political side, the major players (US and UK) aren't really doing anything to stop Israel, and the proposal of sending UN troops seems to be going nowhere either. Everything points towards Hizballah getting a severe beating, and it's not too early.
Comments:
Yes, Stefania, I've seen this crap already.
I think the Emperor got the right idea: Judges, Trees, Ropes. Some assembly required.
Articulating a bit more deeply, these judges deserve at least to be permanently radiated from their offfice because they ultimately took onto themselves to decide who is the enemy. But this decision does not compete to the judiciary; rather, it competes to the executive and in second order legislative branch.
They are subverting the Italian Republic. Traitors.
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I think the Emperor got the right idea: Judges, Trees, Ropes. Some assembly required.
Articulating a bit more deeply, these judges deserve at least to be permanently radiated from their offfice because they ultimately took onto themselves to decide who is the enemy. But this decision does not compete to the judiciary; rather, it competes to the executive and in second order legislative branch.
They are subverting the Italian Republic. Traitors.
