Yesterday somebody in Gaza attacked an IDF tank in Israel with an RPG-anti-tank missile. The tank's newly mounted Trophy system responded immediately and destroyed the RPG. This caused great satisfaction in Israel since it was the first battleground proof that the Trophy system does what it was designed to do. In the endless cycle of development and counter development the Israeli Armored Corps is now the only one in the world which has (alas, temporarily) beaten whatever the competition has on offer.
The Trophy was being considered for years; its development was greatly accelerated by the anti-tank abilities demonstrated in 2006 by Hisballah. So in a roundabout way, some of the credit goes to Hassan Nassrallah, the fellow who was convinced Israeli was a spider web that could easily be torn.
It's also worth noting that there are forces in Gaza trying to destroy IDF tanks on the Israeli side of the border. And that this isn't being reported in the general media. And that someday, when the next large showdown happens, the ability of Israel's enemies to destroy IDF armor is even more limited now than before, and the ratio of casualties between the sides may demonstrate this - a fact that will be universally cited to prove Israeli cruelty.
George Patton is reported to have said that the job of soldiers is not to die for their country but to make sure the other guys die for their country. This is as true now as it always was, but isn't as obvious as it once was, or anyway, not to folks who know next to nothing about war.
Yaacov
ReplyDeleteas best I know Jews died in disproportionate numbers in WW1 - was there ever anywhere anytime any whiff of a complaint about that disproportionality way back then?
I'm just trying to make sure I have a sound argument when the next disproportionality mania gets going.
I forgot which blog feed I was reading momentarily and thought this was on Jewschool. If only that were so.
ReplyDeleteOne can only sigh in considering what might happen if the Israelis were able to turn their innovation and creativity to more peaceful pursuits. I'd mention how this could help develop the entire Middle East but to say so, of course, would only aggravate the Arabs. Israel's very success is part of what sticks in their craw.
ReplyDeleteThere's an old joke, I will spare you the joke but the punchline is, "What? And take s--- from a Jew?" And that's the Arab stance.