[Washington Institute for Near East Policy] Jeffrey White - The IDF faces a difficult and complex reality in Gaza. Without doubt, the IDF can prevail militarily against Hamas, but the speed of execution, the number of casualties - military and civilian - on both sides, and the conditions at the end of the operation will be shaped by how well the IDF deals with the military challenges. A rapid operation that inflicts substantial attrition and damage on the enemy, but with limited civilian casualties, produces one result. An operation that is slow or hesitant, producing few concrete military results and significant civilian losses, creates a much different military, political, and diplomatic reality. The writer is a defense fellow at The Washington Institute.
2008-12-17 06:00:00Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive