We all know israel has good officers. Training has improved. the proble is 2-fold- Olmert will always try to avoid committing full force unusual tactics ashe is afraid of one drop of blood and is afraid. Secondly, the idf will not use dirty asymmetric to defeat a viet cong dug in bunker system layered with rockets, antitank missiles, suicide bombers and booby traps. Isarael has to free itself to use fuel-air bombs and anesthetic/gas bombs, mortars ,a s well as using human shields to detonate the traps and disable the launchers.Israel has to use crushing , lightening force as in the past and not be led by the mother of all cowards, Ehud olmert. So long as he is PM, he is destroying the IDF deterrence.

I disagree strongly with the first 4 comments. Look, Hez certainly, will fire thousands of rockets into northern Israel, and perhaps further, similar to the last war. But now it has over 20,000, better hidden and coordinated which can go further. Thus, Israel needs to know it can protect it's civilians..and military, thus the defensive measures. But like in a basketball, it's still about offense. Whether air-fuel bombs as suggested, or clusters (US is trying to outlaw), or phosphorous/napam, Israel will face the same tactic of firing from civilian areas. Frankly I don't know how to get around that,, which would require troops again, as the US did in Falluja, Iraq and now in Bagdad. Perhaps Isralel has learned from US? The IDF has their job, the politicians theirs...politicians make war, the army wins them. Whether Olmert, or Livni or Bibi or whomever, it's about the politics of the next war. What is Israel's goal, to win, place or just show up? That is teh crux of this entire problem with the Pals. To Israel: do what you must to win..and don't worry about your PR..it doesn't matter to Carter, and Obama.