Israel loses Lebanon war WND Jerusalem bureau chief says Olmert restrained IDF 'at every turn' August 14, 2006 By Aaron Klein WorldNetDaily.com ... Israel lost the war in Lebanon on all fronts. This is so largely because Olmert refused to allow the Israeli Defense Forces to do its job. ... the IDF presented Olmert with several battle plans it says could have devastated Hezbollah within an estimated three weeks. The plans, drawn up and improved upon over the course of several years, called for an immediate air campaign against Hezbollah strongholds in south Beirut; aerial bombardment of key sections of the Lebanese-Syria border to ensure the kidnapped soldiers were not transported out of the country and to halt Syrian re-supply of arms to Hezbollah; and the deployment of up to 40,000 ground troops to advance immediately to the Latani River... To the dismay of military officials here, Olmert did not approve the plan... ...the main smuggling routes between Syria and Lebanon, sites very well known to Israeli intelligence, were essentially off limits to the Israeli Air Force... When Hezbollah met Israel's air campaign with massive rocket attacks against northern Israeli communities, the IDF again presented Olmert with a plan for a large ground deployment to the Latani River. The Israeli Prime Minister...approved only a smaller ground offensive of up to 8,000 soldiers who were not allowed to advance to the Latani. ...Olmert limited the IAF to strategic bombings only. The air force was not allowed to clear the way for ground troops to enter... And so the IDF – with a force one fourth the size it asked for – engaged in heated, often face-to-face combat over the course of weeks with a well-trained, well-armed Hezbollah militia that had planned with Iran for up to six years for this battle... ...during Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice's visits here, the IDF was actually asked by the political echelon to halt most operations and troop advances for up to 36 hours while negotiations ran their course... Military leaders now charge that some troop battalions, instructed to hold positions outside villages but not to advance, actually became sitting ducks for Hezbollah anti-tank fire, which killed at least 35 Israeli soldiers... Tens of thousands of troops were put on standby in northern Israel, but were not allowed to enter Lebanon... ...The cabinet, though, left the timing of the new operation to Olmert, who held the advance back until Thursday morning. By Thursday evening, the IDF, which charged ahead from four main fronts, reached the Latani River and even beyond in full force and prepared for an intense battle to overtake the areas used by Hezbollah to fire rockets. The IDF estimated it would need another four to six weeks to successfully wipe out the Hezbollah infrastructure in the areas... But a day later a cease-fire resolution was adapted... Hezbollah remains intact, Israel's enemies emboldened ... Hezbollah has won the war. It put up an incredible fight against IDF forces paralyzed by Israel's leadership. The terror group maintains a good deal of its infrastructure in south Lebanon and still has the ability to fire hundreds of rockets per day into Israel... For Israel, an international force on its borders will impede the ability of the IDF to operate with freedom during any future conflict with Hezbollah... The cease-fire doesn't place an immediate arms embargo on Hezbollah, but only calls for future talks on stopping weapons transfers to the terror group. This leaves Syria and Iran free to rearm and regroup Hezbollah... http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=51519

As usual your talkback is most relevant Linda and most up to the point. But why did Olmert do it this way? Who influeneced his decision making? Wasn't it a Condoleeza Rice? And if it was, why?

I'm just sorry I wasn't there this evening. Please accept my apologies. How about an on-line petition? In both English and Hebrew.

Finally. It is high time that the people of Israel rise and demand answers, not excuses and blames. Its time for this weak government to retire and elect a government with strong leadership and executive decision makers that can assist Israel regain its rightful strenght and reputation in the eyes of the world. Not to mention, there can be not many wars that srael can efford to lose.

World media are used as a weapon to demonize the world's only Jewish state. Every legitimate act of defense by Israel against PA/PLO, Hamas, Hizbullah terror war are condemned. The U.S. EU UN refuse to give Israel the right to self-defense - the same ugly Jew-hate that has existed for thousands of years. The U.S. restrains Israel from defending her citizens. Israel needs strong leaders who will defeat her enemies - not weak leaders who gift Jewish land to implacable enemies.

Hareidim and under poverty line families dont use/ allow internet in their lives. Other people have tens of e-mail addresses. It will fall short of being accurate. May be cellphones SMS will do it better

to demonstrate and rally in Tel Aviv, a mass sit in, a million or more people, outside all government offices in Jerusalem, a countrywide general strike, show Peretz that he is not the only one who can shut the country down. Hound them out of office with their heads hanging low in shame, never to be heard of again. Yossi Sarid spoke brilliantly, but words are useless, actions are needed.

"..Reserve soldiers were sent to war without ammunition, without protection, without food and without water. Soldiers who hadn't trained in years." I think that's also called "Jihad" in our neighborhood. You guys also have Jihadist and you did not know it ... I think that's what happen to every one who live there for too long... this thing is contagious... lol.. Amir

1 every 10 talkbaks agrees with you. Could you learn who is the extremist from this ? We've got the right to survive

Bzzzzzzzzz...... lol

Already by then, we saw what the government was doing - we were all complaining about it, but there was not a demonstration to be found to demand from Olmert that he take this war seriously. Where were all of you Israelis then? Why is it only AFTER it's over that you make your views known with a 30,000 person demonstration? I couldn't find a single demonstration then - not one - to voice my disappointment at how Halutz/Olmert/Peretz were dealing with the war - refusing to order reserves call ups, then refusing to put them into battle - and now we found out that they screwed up all the logistics as well (water, training, food, weaponry supply lines were substandard). Better now than never for a demonstration, but if you really wanted to be effective, and thus wipe the smerk off of Amir Al Safir's face, the time to have done something was then, not now. The only way we'll get what we want now is if the government collapses and new elections are on the horizon. Only this will free us of these leaders who haven't enough faith in their People. And only then will we be in a position to leave no doubt for our enemies that they cannot defeat us militarily, as with G-d's help and a small dose of nonchalance (about 10% of what Iran has vis a vis nuclear weaponry development) about world opinion, we will quite throughly trounce all enemies before the next war ends. The irony of Olmert's handling of this war is that he's supposedly in favor of negotiated peace. He's given Arabs the feeling that the only way they can achieve their objective, whether it be freeing terrorists from prison or releasing liberated territory, is through violence. His malfeasance has left us with the worse of both worlds, not only without a prospect for a negotiated peace, but also with more haughty and bellicose neighbors who are re-arming for what they think is the final round, so convinced they are that they won this one. Well, all we can do now is prepare properly. This is your doing, Olmert. By refusing to put soldiers' lives on the line now, you've put 10 times as many at risk during the next war. It's time for a new government that we can have faith in, one that will guard OUR interests, not just those of the politicians and beautiful people.

Praise to these reserve soldiers for refusing to take it any more. Everybody!. Open your windows on Monday night at 8 pm and yell out. I am mad as hell and I won't take it any more. Then pick up your phone or email the Prime Minister and tell him the same thing. If one million people call and email and write the PM, believe me he will have no choice but to resign. How many of you did not vote? It is time to become active. The government you save may be your own.

Good! 30,000 is still not enough, but it is much better than 3 reserve soldiers protesting alone. Come on Israelis, these corrupt politicians are killing your country - DO SOMETHING. www.globaljewishcommunity.com

Wars are never predictable and "winning a war" is an oxymoron. If we had decimated all the villages in southern lebanon would we have won the war?? I vote NO to a commission. stop wasting time and money to find out that everyone was responsible. soldiers that didn't recieve supplies probably because of a lower level soldier that didn't pass on the information. BIBI and LIberman are circling the still warm carcuss like buzzards. Itf they take over we are going to have another reign of terror as in hislast term as PM and finance m. we will be faced with a new war within days of their getting into office, and they will come up with the same results.

Western leaders betrayal of Israel will bring great sorrow and suffering upon the world. The highly immoral, unethical betrayal of Israel advances global jihad.

"Western leaders betrayal of Palestinians will bring great sorrow and suffering upon the world. The highly immoral, unethical betrayal of Palestine advances global jihad." Amir

Of course it is awkward to judge from a safe distance, but I beleive it is too simple to blame Olmert (and his goverment) alone for the shortcomings in Israel`s recent Northern warfare.I guess the reasons are to be found farther in the past. Judging from the news I receive from Israel, the campaign was pretty ill prepared -e.g. maps were outdated. How could this be? Could it be that the Northern threat was negelcted, when during the second Intifada all or most of Israel' s securitv efforts were -quite understandably- concentrated on fighting suicide bombing. Anyhow, if it were so, IDF soldiers and civilians both sides of the border alike, would have had to pay the price. Kind regards Dietrich

Mouslims unethically use the Palestinians as an excuse to promote globle jihad. Arafats widow is very rich at the cost of the palastinians