Sunday, August 13, 2006

Bombs Not Enough

by Eric Margolis
Toronto Star

"For the past month, 3,000 lightly-armed Hezbollah fighters have managed to hold off the Israel Defence Forces (IDF), the world’s fourth most powerful military machine.

This wholly unexpected resistance to a major Israeli operation has amazed the world, electrified Muslim nations and stunned Israelis, who previously dismissed Hezbollah as “a bunch of terrorists.”

According to Israeli media, Israel had apparently been planning the Lebanon invasion for the past three years and conducted a mock invasion of Lebanon only a month ago.

Why have Hezbollah’s mujahedeen proven such fierce and skilled fighters? Many are well-educated university graduates, often around 30 to 40 years old. They are dedicated to driving Israeli troops from Lebanon and aiding the Palestinian cause.

Hezbollah is the first Arab fighting force to show real proficiency in small unit combat tactics. Its squads are experts in moving and firing, setting up interlocking fields of fire, ambushes, laying anti-tank mines, and pre-registered mortar fire plans. In fact, this is the first time the IDF has faced really professional soldiers who fight in the western military manner. "

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