'Only small amount of IAF's power used'

Poll_Blind

(1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore

Sun Jul-16-06 06:09 PM
Original message

'Only small amount of IAF's power used'

From JPost, emphasis mine:

AF Commander Maj.-Gen. Eliezer Shkedy said on Sunday that the IAF had only used "a small proportion of its fire power" in its attacks on Lebanon, adding that it was the IDF's prerogative how much of its military capability to use and warning that "the other side should consider all its alternatives."

"Our fighter jets have made over 1000 flights and our attack helicopters over 350," said Shkedy at the daily IDF briefing.

"The results of our operations have been good and the targeting precise. The effects are accumulating and they will be very influential," he said with satisfaction.

The IAF commander explained that Hizbullah infrastructure had been targeted in the north, south and center of Lebanon.

With the large number of civilian casualties, including the strike in the last few days which killed 32 civilians, 15 of them children, what am I to make of a line like "The results of our operations have been good and the targeting precise"? Similarly the huge amount of damage to civilian infrastructures in both Gaza and Lebanon, also by the IAF.

I don't envision many IDF officers going abroad anytime soon for fear of being brought to justice by the ICC.

PB

Printer Friendly | Permalink | | Top

cali

(1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore

Sun Jul-16-06 06:14 PM
Response to Original message

1. Repugnant statement by the AF General n/t

Printer Friendly | Permalink | | Top

AnOhioan

(1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore

Sun Jul-16-06 06:15 PM
Response to Original message

2. I am sure the IDF HAS used only a portion...

of the firepower avaiable. Of course the portion they have used has been catastrophic for civilian infrastructure in Lebanon and Gaza.

Printer Friendly | Permalink | | Top

Sherman A1

(1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore

Sun Jul-16-06 06:25 PM
Response to Reply #2

4. Agreed

I don't really think the Israelis have taken off the gloves yet. Don't like what is going on one bit, but they do have more than enough weaponry.

Printer Friendly | Permalink | | Top

MADem

(1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore

Sun Jul-16-06 06:19 PM
Response to Original message

3. Do we know if any of those casualties were of the "human shield"

variety? Your target can be precise, but when you stash a boatload of kids in a weapons factory, it is gonna end badly. I'm not saying this is what happened, I am simply posing an inquiry.

Granted, that's more a Saddam trick, but who's to say if Hiz b'Allah didn't take a page from his book?

Like it or not, IDF officers are present in large numbers at our system of war colleges and military graduate schools, and we're not the only ones who have mil-to-mil exchange programs with Israel.

I don't see them staying home, to be frank.

Printer Friendly | Permalink | | Top

Igel

(1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore

Sun Jul-16-06 07:23 PM
Response to Reply #3

8. I'd doubt it. Many of the strike against

Hezbollah have been in places like apartment buildings.

I don't know what I'd expect US commanders to do if the US were invaded--live at home and with relatives, knowing that I'm a legitimate target, or avoid populated centers? But I know what Hezbollah people do, if the media reports are accurate. They do what Hamas people do: visit colleagues, live in apartments with extended family or other families a thin wall or ceiling away, and when the colleague's family's wiped out, or the neighbors are killed, rely on the press failing to note the presence of a military target. This doesn't even count the deaths when missiles go astray.

Printer Friendly | Permalink | | Top

DELUSIONAL

(1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore

Sun Jul-16-06 06:26 PM
Response to Original message

5. And the point of stating the obvious is?

Everyone in the world knows that Israel is well armed by the US -- plus Israel's formidable ability to design and manufacture weapons etc.

Hummm who is this communication directed at?

Why does this remind me of a Sliver Back Gorilla beating his chest?

Printer Friendly | Permalink | | Top

bemildred

(1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore

Sun Jul-16-06 06:32 PM
Response to Original message

6. Posturing, lying buffoon. nt

Printer Friendly | Permalink | | Top

benburch

(1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore

Sun Jul-16-06 06:38 PM
Response to Original message

7. Those are indeed very small collateral damages for such an operation.

You can flame me, but honestly those are very small numbers given the amount of ordnance used!

In contrast, the US air-strikes in Iraq have been nowhere near as carefully planned our as precise.

The IAF deserves praise for carrying out their orders so carefully when doing so most likely put the pilots in harm's way for longer than a less careful strike would have. Do not blame the pilots for the targeting decisions. They do not choose their own targets unless they are fired upon and have to defend themselves.

Having said that, I wish that nobody had died at all, least of all noncombatants.

Printer Friendly | Permalink | | Top

Igel

(1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore

Sun Jul-16-06 07:24 PM
Response to Reply #7

9. Agreed. And well said. n/t

Printer Friendly | Permalink | | Top

Solo_in_MD

(1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore

Sun Jul-16-06 08:15 PM
Response to Reply #7

11. I concur about the ordinance vs casaulties

and the sadness about the loss of life. Yet there are those who persist in saying the IAF is targeting civilians...their hyperbole is not helping things'

Printer Friendly | Permalink | | Top

farmbo

(1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore

Sun Jul-16-06 07:41 PM
Response to Original message

10. Brave IAF pilots prevail in dogfights with crafty Lebanese...Oh wait!

That's right. There is no Lebanese (or Hezbullah) air force. There never was. Those brave eagles of the IAF are engaged in nothing more than a turkey shoot...largly against civilian targets... in state-of-the-art aircraft and armaments provided to them by YOU; the US taxpayer.

No enemy air force. No AA. Just clear skies, a full rack of maverick missiles and JDAMs, and strafing "targets" as far as the eye can see.

Your tax dollars at work.

And on top of everything else, we get to hear the chest-thumping and bragging of Commander Maj.-Gen. Eliezer Shkedy.

:grr:

Printer Friendly | Permalink | | Top

bemildred

(1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore

Sun Jul-16-06 08:51 PM
Response to Reply #10

12. Thank you. What an asshole he is.

Reminds me of Gen. McCaffrey.

Printer Friendly | Permalink | | Top

Englander

(1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore

Mon Jul-17-06 01:49 AM
Response to Original message

13. Shkedy = war criminal. n/t

Printer Friendly | Permalink | | Top

DU AdBot (1000+ posts)

Tue Apr 30th 2024, 12:42 AM
Response to Original message

Advertisements [?]

Top

Powered by DCForum+ Version 1.1 Copyright 1997-2002 DCScripts.com
Software has been extensively modified by the DU administrators

Important Notices: By participating on this discussion board, visitors agree to abide by the rules outlined on our Rules page. Messages posted on the Democratic Underground Discussion Forums are the opinions of the individuals who post them, and do not necessarily represent the opinions of Democratic Underground, LLC.