Reserves were not being called up regular duty so skills were lost, even the regulars found exercises few and far between. Reserves were having to either buy their own body armor do without because there was no money to buy enough for the reserves. After Lebanon we had an inquiry ruled this was one of the areas where things went so badly wrong so we rush out on a spending spree we say all the things we must do and we put some of the plans into action but as soon as the military budget is cut then never mind the army can do without. We will get ourselves a nice new submarine which we can boast about and the reserves well worry about them after the next war. If the government is going to ask somebody to put their lives on the line then they either give them the tools and training or people should refuse to serve. When people start refusing to serve in large numbers then the government will listen but sadly probably not before.

They made their bed now lay in it

Lack of training was a big issue with performance in 2006. A 6th submarine will not help in the next war with Hezbollah, that is for sure.

Of course they are...With Hezbollah waiting eagerly to ambush those poor idiots, they should be on the verge of collapse...

most of ourmy is composed of Dati Leumi like me... we serve.. unlike you cowards from north tel aviv who hide like cowards.... like you!

Just another reminder that Israel does NOT have unlimited resources and wars require tremendous resources. Maybe Israel's budget would not be so strained IF Israel would give up the idea of a "greater Israel." That is, remove all Jews from the WB and negotiate a fair peace agreement with all of its neighbors including the Palestinians. War will bankrupt Israel and make it a miserable place to live, even if Israel doesn't lose. Israel has limited resources - carefully pick what is best for the future.

it could be that a submarine threat to Iran will cool its ardor to unleash Hezbollah. Hezbollah doesn't make its own war decisions. Many, many of the readers of this article are qualified to discuss the state of training of infantry reserves - & i listen carefully. That doesn't mean that they know much about the BIG picture. Those who know - don't say.

The Messianic Left and their corrupt leader Sharon justified the violent ethnic cleansing of Gush Katif because the army was over-extended. As usual the Left was wrong, and the Zionists were right. Exactly as the Zionists predicted, the ethnic cleansing of Gush Katif not only brought greater dangers to Israel, it led to much greater defense expenditures and much greater manpower requirements. Like always: the Zionists have to clean up the mess made by the fanatical Left wingers. #6 you are wrong: Israel's defense requirements increased with the Oslo process. When you give your enemy territory and weapons, you need to spend more for less security. When you have secure borders, you can spend less for more defense. You have to be crazy or messianic (the definition of being a Leftist) to believe otherwise.

I admit I don't know much about how the IDF trains, however i come into contact with the average conscript on almost a daily basis and they don't look very well disciplined or well trained or better yet physically fit like a US Marine or even motivated. I know for one thing how can you motivate a soldier if you only pay him a $100.00 month . Israel needs to focus on it's soldiers more because in reality, it hasn't fought a full scale conflict in almost 40 years (1973), and we all know 40 years is a long time and the world changes if you look what was happening 30 years before (1973). Also with the 3 BILLION plus it gets from the States and it's outrageous tax rates it can afford to pay it's soldiers more.

giving child allowances to families that had parents that did not serve in the I.D.F. only. Stop the alyah of the elderly and sick, we cannot afford them. Stop the National Insurance Institute from paying the families of prisoners, drug addicts and alcoholics. Make those that did not serve pay a defense tax from their salaries and pensions. Cut the staff at the min of finance and use the money for training and equipment. Those that serve in the reserves need to be rewarded and give them cheap mortgages, free higher education and protect their jobs when they are called up. Firing someone who does reserve duty and not for any other proven reason should cost whoever fires him or her a year in prison, a fine of 100,000 shekels and the company should pay a 500,000 fine.

Peace seems simple when you’re a simpleton. It never occurs to you that the Palestinians will never agree to a 2 state solution. They want a 1 state solution, a Palestinian state. All Palestinian factions to varying degrees make this clear. As for funding whatever may be necessary, by the end of this decade Israel will see billions of dollars in additional revenue from the gas fields.

since when did the israeli army organise itself along regimental lines? if it was a european land army of the 17th and 18th century perhaps. but it is not. the classic regiment was three battalions, but it is nothing like today. except in israel where i have heard of battallions made up of 12 men (a squad) commanded by a sergeant (probably female). making an israeli regiment nothing more than a platoon. this is more press hokum designed to get people interested in something, yadda, yadda...

reality before you start hearing things! TATA

With you 100 Percent on those suggestions Jason White. Kol ha kavod.