Former general: Israel can't defeat Iran

Former general: Israel can't defeat Iran

www.ynetnews.com

Former National Security Council Chairman Giora Eiland warns against Israeli strike in Iran; Israel does not possess military capabilities that would enable Jewish State to completely destroy Tehran's nuclear program, he says

Dudi Cohen
Published: 12.18.08, 17:49 / Israel News

Israeli officials have been repeatedly warning that Israel may end up attacking Iran, yet former National Security Council Chairman Giora Eiland says such strike would not eliminate Tehran's nuclear program.


Speaking at a conference of the Institute for National Security Studies at Tel Aviv University, Eiland says Israel cannot defeat Iran's regime via a military operation.


"To our regret, there is no Israeli military capability that would enable us to reach a situation whereby Iran's nuclear capabilities are destroyed without the possibility of recovery," he said. "The maximal achievement that Israel can accomplish is to disrupt and suspend Iran's nuclear program."

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I would agree that Israel cannot defeat Iran unless it uses nuclear weapons. However, it can terrorise and kill Iranian civilians. That is inevitable but it will leave the Iranian authorities further entrenched in power and might actually allow them to transparently go after the nuclear bomb without resistance from the international community.

Unfortunately, the destruction of Iraq has left Iran the clear regional super power except for Israel. While Israel has technological advantage and US backing, Iran has more subtle regional hegemony that is growing in proportion to the latest outrages in the Occupied Territories.

If there is an Israeli initiated conflagration the start of the war will entail amazing technological feats by the IDF but it is doubtful that it will be sustained indefinitely as we saw in the 2006 Israeli invasion of the Lebanon. Israel used up its munitions to the level that it demanded access to US stores in her territory and supplies from NATO.

The Iranian response would likely be a multiple front counterstrike. It will try to keep the US busy in Iraq and in the Persian Gulf if it decides to join in. It is more likely the US will opt for the role of peace maker that will extract greater benfits for Iran.

Russia will probably remain publicly neutral but provide tactical information from satellites to Iran. China would most likely exert pressure on the US to stop the conflict for economic reasons.

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(visit the link for the full news article)

I think the title of the article is a bit misleading. He's saying that there's no way that Israel would be able to totally wipe out Iranian nuclear capabilities. It didn't say anything about fighting them conventionally.

Originally posted by masonwatcher
I would agree that Israel cannot defeat Iran unless it uses nuclear weapons. However, it can terrorise and kill Iranian civilians.

What, you think the Israeli military leaders are sitting around, discussing this and saying, "Geez, can't wipe out their nuclear program. *Sigh* Might as well kill and terrorize their civilians. That's just as good."

Wanna make a bet how long Iran will last in a war against America and Israel?

Originally posted by jerico65
I think the title of the article is a bit misleading. He's saying that there's no way that Israel would be able to totally wipe out Iranian nuclear capabilities. It didn't say anything about fighting them conventionally.

Originally posted by masonwatcher
I would agree that Israel cannot defeat Iran unless it uses nuclear weapons. However, it can terrorise and kill Iranian civilians.

What, you think the Israeli military leaders are sitting around, discussing this and saying, "Geez, can't wipe out their nuclear program. *Sigh* Might as well kill and terrorize their civilians. That's just as good."

Normally having one's country bombed tends to terrorise.

As we found in the Israeli bombing of the whole of Lebanon for a border conflict with Hisbollah, it by-passed the obstacle and started to target the civilians and the civilian infrastructure. Basically about 5000 Hisbollah gave the majority of the Israeli land forces a very bloody nose so the Israeli generals decided to attack the civilian population.

The same tactic is used on the Palestinians. When Israeli can't get Hamas, it settles on the civilians. I didn't make this up, it is a method known as 'collective punishment' and is considered a war crime.

Originally posted by Founding
Wanna make a bet how long Iran will last in a war against America and Israel?

About as long as the Iraq war, maybe longer?

Man this is funny.Israel cant defeat Iran.
Yet they defeated Egypt, Syria, Jordan all at once.
And that was even before they had current technology.

reply to post by habeas corpuss


Israel had the contemporary technology, ex-partizans from WW2, help from France and Egypt, Jordan and Syria just emerged from colonialism. At the time France was protecting its interests and saw Israel as its best ally, ie the Lebanon and Algeria were her colonies.

Iran may not have US cutting edge technology like Israel but it has in depth power as in strategic influence and motivated manpower. It is not like a warn out Iraq after two wars and a ten year embargo.



[edit on 063131p://pm3145 by masonwatcher]

Originally posted by masonwatcher
As we found in the Israeli bombing of the whole of Lebanon for a border conflict with Hisbollah, it by-passed the obstacle and started to target the civilians and the civilian infrastructure. Basically about 5000 Hisbollah gave the majority of the Israeli land forces a very bloody nose so the Israeli generals decided to attack the civilian population.

The same tactic is used on the Palestinians. When Israeli can't get Hamas, it settles on the civilians. I didn't make this up, it is a method known as 'collective punishment' and is considered a war crime.

Well, it doesn't help when the terrorists wear civilian clothing and do their utmost to blend in with the civilian population.

Which, by the way, is also against the Laws of Armed Conflict, and makes it a war crime.

[edit on 18-12-2008 by jerico65]

reply to post by jerico65

Well, it doesn't help when the terrorists wear civilian clothing and do their utmost to blend in with the civilian population. Which, by the way, is also against the Laws of Armed Conflict, and makes it a war crime.

Come clean dude and fess up. That was a reflex response wasn't it? I mean that Israel designates its enemy Hisbollah, terrorist, then why was it bombing civilians at the other end of the country? If Hisbollah was fighting on the border with Israel, why was Israel bombing Beirut, oil storage tanks several hundred miles away, the power stations and fleeing civilians?

More interestingly, you equate resistance against Israeli invasions by irregular forces as a war crime. Odd, very odd. Do suppose the resistance against Nazi Germany was illegal?

As for hiding behind civilians, well that's just an Israeli propaganda meme. It is in fact Israel that hides behind civilians.

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[edit on 073131p://pm3106 by masonwatcher]