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Photo: Amir Cohen
The missile boat that was hit
Photo: Amir Cohen
Photo: IDF Spokesperson
Paratroopers officer Yossi Heyman
Photo: IDF Spokesperson
Photo: AP
Prime Minister Ehud Olmert
Photo: AP

Officer: IDF conceptually failed in last 6 years

IDF getting ready to have officials testify before committee of inquiry. Naval forces examine how missile boat was hit off Lebanese shores, where four soldiers died. 'It was a conceptual failure of all senior officials in force in last six years,' says a senior official

In the upcoming days, Prime Minister Ehud Olmert will decide on the nature of the committee that will inquire on the actions of senior officials in the second war on Lebanon. Until it is established, and in light of the work already done by the committee of inquiry led by Lieutenant General (res.) Amnon Lipkin-Shahak, IDF units are preparing for the tough questions.

 

The Navay commanders, among other officials, will be asked to offer explanations. The force played a central role in the war when it imposed a closure on the beach of Lebanon, and at the same time attacked Katyusha rocket launchers and long-range missile launchers. However, the force made headlines on July 14 in light of more tragic events. On that same evening, the Navy's missile boat was hit from a missile that was fired from the beach and killed four crewmembers. This event will be remembered not only for the death of the soldiers but also for the many questions that were raised, and the change in the navy's perception.

 

Threat that became reality thought for years to be impossible

The attack of the missile boat put the naval forces into high gear, and in an interview with ynet, a senior officer described that evening as "a turning point." Other sources in the force did not hide the fact that a C-802 missile hitting the ship located at 16 kilometers from the beach took them by surprise. That surprise could have been avoided had there been a prior thorough investigation, as was requested for a long time before the war broke out – and not just in the naval forces.

 

"Its' inconceivable," the senior officer said. "The failure is not of one officer or another on board the ship, but goes far beyond. We're talking about a conceptual failure on the part of all the officers during the last six years. We never imagined that such a threat was even possible, this was impossible in our eyes," he stated.

 


The missile boat that was hit (Photo: Amir Cohen) 

 

One of the direct results of the missile boat incident was a change in the Navy's basic assumption, according to which – from now on – any weapon that the Iranians posses is likely to also be in the hands of Hizbullah.

 

"Anything that used to be considered illogical became logical. This needs to be understood – a terror organization came into possession of a 700 kilogram missile, 80 meter long and that carries 50 kilograms of explosives. How do you even smuggle something like this?," he explained.

 

Senior officer: I failed in preparing troops for war

 

The Navy is not the only IDF branch where talks of last years' failures have begun to surface. On Saturday, outgoing infantry and paratroopers officer, Colonel Yossi Hayman, surprised his audience when he said in a ceremony on the occasion of his retirement: "Part of the time we were guilty of the sin of hubris, and I'm a part of this… some of us speak with pathos and use confusing terms, which cover up for military ignorance and a lack of professional understanding… this while our enemies improve, get stronger and more professional."

 

Colonel Hayman did not hesitate to claim personal responsibility for those failures. "I feel the heavy responsibility on my shoulders. I failed in better preparing the infantry for the current war, the compulsory and reserve units. I failed to prevent the erosion of the various companies."

 


פרסום ראשון: 08.21.06, 01:05
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