Why did Israel do it? To feel good about itself after Lebanon, right? Maybe just kill a lot of Arabs? Or to capture Saddam? We'll never know, will we? Professor and TV expert on the military, Anthony Cordesman— a former assistant to McCain– says the whole thing is "misguided" and Israel is facing "strategic defeat" in Gaza. Basically it never even said what it meant to achieve and it's not clear that it ever figured that out.
it is not apparent. If Israel has a plan that could credibly destroy
and replace Hamas, it is not apparent. If Israel has any plan to help
the Gazans and move them back towards peace, it is not apparent. If
Israel has any plan to use US or other friendly influence productively,
it not apparent.” [my emphasis]
Says my military friend who sent this to me, My opinion: if Israel is really concerned about addressing
the rocket issue why not just insert forces into the Philadelphia corridor (Gaza
– Egyptian border) and advance north as far as necessary to take over the
tunnels (2-3 miles). Such an operation would allow non-combatants to flee
and would result in far less destruction and bloodshed — and might even
succeed in cutting off the supply of rockets.
