Those who think they are great experts of tanks here: go read some literature on Koronet and Metis russian anti-tank missiles. No f***ing Abrams is goint to stand against one of those. The era of tanks still isn't over and Merkava-4 is great weapon, when used WISELY. Our soldiers know how to use this weapon par excellence, believe me. I'm reservist and I'm proud seeing guys who don't see tank for two years, still operate it masterfully. It's our dumb government, who orders to leave battle-field in the middle of the battle and our generals, who forgot everything about warfare who are responsible!

Each tank should be equipped with its own decoy double with 'hot' transmitter to attract enemy ATMs, towed or inflated nearby. Inexperienced enemy are just as likely to fire upon the fake as the actual tank under battle conditions.

Why are you disgusted with Ken and Julie...because they are saying the truth?????.

The tanks failed in lebanon failed because they were used .the lesson from the lebanon war is that israel should not fight conventional wars it should just eliminate threats with nuclear weapons

What would have happened if they faced a real army? One with a proper air force, armour and artillery? DISASTER....

History has shown us that when Israel faces conventional armies(even more than one at a time), it wipes them out faster than you can say Shish-kabob. The problem here was that this is a guerilla group and as most Americans know, these guys are hard to fight. they hide among civilians, they boobie-trap streets etc. No doubt they got some sophisticated weapons from Iran via Russia, but, still, they are just a terrorist guerilla group.

There is not a problem with the Merkava tank, there is a problem in how and where it is deployed. Hezbella spent a decade preparing that area for exactly what happened. Given time, disiplined troops and the right ATGM's what other outcome could be expected? You don't walk into a prepared fire sack and not expect losses.

Tanks of ANY MODEL, US, Israeli..ANY..Cannot survive on the modern battlefield without the CLOSE co-operation of INFANTRY working WITH tanks. Witness WWII and the German "Panzerfaust", or the American 2.75" Bazooka. Sixty years ago, infantry were killing tanks. The ONLY way to protect tanks from Infantry..is with other Infantry. Abrams are being destroyed in Iraq also. Because the IDF adapted tactics crafted to reduce casualties to their Infantry, less protection was afforded to the Merkava's. Determined enemy tank killer teams have historically been proven effective, especially so now with the most modern ATGM ever fielded. Please consider the terrrain, the tactics, and yes..the resolve of the enemy. They stood and fought. New tactical doctrine has to be developed to deal with that resolve. Closer infantry/armor tactics have to be developed...and trained. And yes- stand-off "cage" armor would help, but has never been deployed on a tank-only light AFV's.

You guys should read Uri Avneri, because he predicted all of it. Especially that backstab myth that would arise afterwards, like: it's all the politicians fault, it's the military commanders fault; no, the fault was to begin this war and everyone wanted it. Here in Germany we call stuff like that 'Dolchstosslegende'. It happened after World War I, the military commanders said it was the politicians fault because they made peace while the army was unbeaten on the battlefield. But that was apparently nonsense as is the case now. Everyone wanted war because everyone thought it was easily winnable but it was not. And, to get facts straight: the Hizb Allah rocket bombardment began after the Israeli bombardment of Lebanon. The initial aggression made by Hizb Allah was the capturing of Israeli soldiers. But things like these are dealt with negotiation, as displayed in the past and happening now secretly.

Hizballah are not really that good. It is just because the Israelis made a mistake period.

Hezbollah are dam good !! They are ready for ever now. The Merkava is just a Myth against idiot Arabs , now Hezbollah show the way to do it and push to the sea.

Yes, it is here again. This time, please use the leaflets as they are meant to be used - advise the residents that they have x number of hours to leave, there village is to become a war zone. Use fuel-air and conventional munitions to raze each village in the line of march, just prior to entry (anybody there is presumptively either Hizbollah or a supporter thereof) killing each and every person in the place prior to entry. Take the opportunity to defoliate the entire area and to burn all foilage/groundcover within 5 miles of the line of march. Yes it will be slow, but it will be cheap in terms of lives. Then again, this is only 10,000 hectares in a dry climate - how hard can it be. Shalom

you didnt hear about the hit beirut we hit tel Aviv or Hit beirut Airport we hit Bengorion Airport And the last one about if you surround our coast line we will hit your ships in the MIDD sea, and lebanon is not a Dry Zone you idiot it is the only Arab state that doesnt have a desert in a matter of fact, israel is more desert than lebanon,lebanon is a warezone crafted by nature mountains , rivers ETC. thank you.

While the merkave tank has been built with urban combat in mind, it was still an Afterthought. Maybe even more armor sacrifying more speed is in order. 20-30kmh would be sufficient. Kind of a modern Tiger Tank. Keep the Tanks for Tank on Tank battle and add specialised Urban combat tank. Also an drafted army is never going to be so efficient like a professional army. Israel has only about 4-5 million men or so to pick its soldiers from, it aint like they can be picky in getting quality soldiers.

Infantry is a important of an operation if you decide to invade a village. Remember when the russian invade Grozny in the first war..they lost about two hundred tank in this kind of urban warfare they have to pull out again without any infantry. Without infantry cover, you will be sure the defender will exploit that ! It is not a bad stats if you count that more than thousand rocket was fired directly or indirectly to these tank. The casualty is low for an urban warfare of these type. Blitzkrieg tactic wont work now in a urban warfare !