is one hand in the pocket of the other or in the pocket of his brother ... ha ha ha

The hands in the pockets rule probably came from someone who served in the Jewish Brigade, rather than the Palmach - since this rule is a standard procedure in the British army, and I would imagine the same is the case for other western armies. As someone who served in the recent war in Lebanon, I can testify that an absence of order was very apparent at every level. In my opinion, we will either thoroughly overhaul the norms currently in place here - in civilian and military life - or we stand a fair chance of being the generation that loses the gift of Jewish sovereignty given to us. I used to say this back in the '90s, and I remember the chuckles and smiles of wry superiority it would provoke in colleagues and friends. Their reaction today is rather different. It is not yet too late.

Way back in the 1960's during a large excersise Aluf Tal visited my unit. It was dusty in the desert and everybody was tired and sweaty and dirty. The platoons lined up for inspection and Tal was about to deliver his observations on the conduct of the excersise. He approached a young officer whose shirt was not buttoned properly and told him to button it up. The officer did so but asked permission to respond to the request, permission granted, he asked why such a high ranking officer as a General should find it necessary to indulge his thoughts in such trivia as shirt buttons rather than the more important things. Isn't this the job of the RSM, he posed. Talik's reply will forever be engrained in my mind. Young man, he said, "if the shirt is not buttoned up then the canon will not make proper aim". Oh for the days of Talik and his ilk, both in the military and in Government. Discipline is important, self discipline is the most important ingredient for success, any success, individual or societal. A lax attitude leads only to failure.

Perhaps the state of israel should stop compulsory military service and begin recruiting people with incentives, like the american army. And have compulsory national (not military service) for everyone else. There is not much point in "forcing" people who are not motivated to be soldiers, IMHO. Other than for the purpose of "re-educating" them into "good" citizens. But I think the latter is of much lower priority than having a highly professional army (or militia).

Poor Israel. Stupid Israel! Being poor is an excuse. Being stupid is absolutely never an excuse.