A SMART, SUCCESSFUL WAR?

A Smart, Successful War - Yossi Melman
The Israel Defense Forces could have captured most of Lebanon within a few days, as it did in 1982. But this time Israel wants to reduce its losses, and therefore the IDF is working cautiously - which is mistakenly being seen as hesitation. Based on precise intelligence, the air force struck accurately at the majority of the long-range missiles and their launchers in the first two days of the war. Hizballah headquarters, with its communications networks and control-and-command centers, were hit hard. (Ha'aretz)


Loss of momentum by Amir Oren (Haaretz)
Not only is the degree of Israel's success in the campaign in dispute, but the success itself is not clear and agreed. Should the situation at the end of the campaign be compared to the situation that existed on July 11, when Hezbollah's deployment on the border threatened and deterred Israel? Should the IDF's performance be compared to popular expectations or to professional expectations within the army? Should we be hasty and measure the success at the moment of the cease-fire, or wait and judge it in retrospect, after time passes?