Hezbolla

[DaveB]

This is a big thing because Israel's army was meant to be the best there, and it really raises big question whether invading Iran is actually doable without tens of thousands of soldiers losing their lifes in battles.

No, the big thing here is that Hezbollah have shown that the IDF can be beaten in a straight fight. The mythology of the all conquering Israeli military has taken a serious knock and Iran and Syria will both be watching with interest. Another Arab / Israeli war just got a step closer, and it wont be Israel doing the invading.

[EternalOptimist]

No, the big thing here is that Hezbollah have shown that the IDF can be beaten in a straight fight. The mythology of the all conquering Israeli military has taken a serious knock and Iran and Syria will both be watching with interest. Another Arab / Israeli war just got a step closer, and it wont be Israel doing the invading.

Exactly. The question is, can the Hezbollah success story be scaled up enough to do it. Its one thing fielding a thousand top soldiers, could they get a hundred thousand ? Plus my original question, is there something new in the mix ?

[AtW]

No, the big thing here is that Hezbollah have shown that the IDF can be beaten in a straight fight.

That's right, this is what I was saying albeint in a different way. And its good thing too - unlike Palestinians Hezbollah was not blowing up suicide bombers in cafes - actually more Israeli soldiers than civilians died in fights. If anything Israel should have been happen that at least fighting is much more straight than otherwise.

[AlfredJPruffock]

No, the big thing here is that Hezbollah have shown that the IDF can be beaten in a straight fight. The mythology of the all conquering Israeli military has taken a serious knock and Iran and Syria will both be watching with interest. Another Arab / Israeli war just got a step closer, and it wont be Israel doing the invading.

One school of thought reckoned that the Lebanon conflict was an attempt by Israel to neutralise a potential retalitory barrage from Lebanon in the event of a future US strike on Iran,if that is the case then obviously the US millitary planners will have to re think their strategy.

[DaveB]

Exactly. The question is, can the Hezbollah success story be scaled up enough to do it. Its one thing fielding a thousand top soldiers, could they get a hundred thousand ? Plus my original question, is there something new in the mix ?

The next logical step for Syria and Iran, assuming they have made the decision to commit to a war with Israel, is to extend the kind of guerilla insurgancy operations that worked for Hezbollah in Lebanon into the Israeli / Syrian border areas along the Golan Heights. If they are prepared to deal with the Israeli airforce and counter Israeli air superiority to minimise the kind off infrastructure damage seen in Lebabnon it could be a very successfull tactic.

[oraclesmith]

No, the big thing here is that Hezbollah have shown that the IDF can be beaten in a straight fight. The mythology of the all conquering Israeli military has taken a serious knock and Iran and Syria will both be watching with interest. Another Arab / Israeli war just got a step closer, and it wont be Israel doing the invading.

But it's always easier to defend home territory than to attack an entrenched and fanatical enemy. Israel were bound to have a hard time winkling out Hezbollah from Lebanese towns and cities using conventional means. If the Arabs get together and try to attack Israel as they tried to do in 1973, then they'll have an equally hard time of it. Ultimately they would be trying to overrun and eliminate an entire population, almost all of which have some form of military training and access to modern weapons. And I have no doubt that the Israeli's will defend their homeland with equal determination.

[DaveB]

The arab nations wont go for a total invasion, they know they wouldnt get away with it. What they may go for is restoration of the 1967 borders. I.E return of the Golan heights, Gaza Strip and West Bank to Arab rule.

[oraclesmith]

The arab nations wont go for a total invasion, they know they wouldnt get away with it. What they may go for is restoration of the 1967 borders. I.E return of the Golan heights, Gaza Strip and West Bank to Arab rule.

I think there are quite a few Israeli's who wouldn't mind ridding themselves of the West Bank and Gaza Strip. Not the Golan Heights though.