Dr. Aaron Lerner is co-founder of IMRA, Independent Media Review and Analysis, an Israel-based news organization which provides an extensive digest of media, polls and significant interviews and events relating to the Israeli-Arab conflict. imra@netvision.net.il
Setting proper war goals if Syria attacks
By Dr. Aaron Lerner
February 23, 2007 Bookmark to del.icio.us
In all the IDF's war games, exercises and simulations, which presuppose thousands of Israeli casualties in a clash with Syria, the aim of the war is defined in identical terms: to arrive at negotiations with Damascus "from an advantageous position." By Amir Oren, Haaretz16 February 2007
What in the world does this mean?
That the worse case scenario for Syrian president Assad if he murders thousands of Israelis in a surprise attack is that he might have to agree to more generous security arrangements -- at least on paper -- in order to get the Golan?
Should that be the aim of the war for Israel?
How about the aim of the war being to convince Syria in a swift and decisive way that Assad made a devastatingly wrong move for his regime by starting the war in the first place?
How about the aim of the war also being to send a message to the leadership of the Jewish State's other neighboring nations that war against Israel is not a good career move?
And if negotiations are a consideration, how about creating conditions under which Damascus sees fit to concede the Golan to Israel as it has Alexandretta to Turkey?
It is easy to understand how Israelis who fervently believe that utopian peace is only a withdrawal away might consider the previous goal acceptable.
But it is the height of irresponsibility to allow Israel's military planning to be hijacked by what is, at best, an ideological fantasy.
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