THE INBAR REPORT ON LEBANON II'S FAILURES

Rarely will we tell you that you have to read the whole thing. You have to read read the whole thing. Themes to pay extra attention to:

(1) The stamina of Israeli society under conditions of attrition, and the willingness of Israelis to sustain casualties provided that operations are genuinely necessary and making Israel safer.

(2) How badly UNIFIL screws Israel. Some previous background posts on why the new UNIFIL mandate was inadequate are here and here.

(3) How Syria continues to arm Hezbollah under the UN's nose (and, actually, under the UN's de facto protection).

(4) The importance of academic and cultural norms on Israel's warfighting capabilities:

Post-modern notions have blurred the strategic clarity of Israel's political leadership and its defense and foreign affairs establishment. The economic cost of building a strong military force may be high, but it is not an optional expense. Too often, wishful thinking supplants reality. Should Israeli officials recognize their mistakes, however, they will find much with which to restore unquestioned Israeli regional deterrence. The war demonstrated that Israel is a strong state. It has the spirit to fight. Its soldiers won each encounter with Hezbollah. The Israeli home front displayed great resilience, and Israel's economy continued to bloom. With adequate preparation, Jerusalem might attain a clear victory in the next round, which, however unfortunate, the outcome of the 2006 war makes inevitable.

Read an extended version of this post at Mere Rhetoric...