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A.P. photo/ Nasser Shiyoukhi -- IDF against Jerusalem rioters
The people of Israel increased their confidence in the IDF last year from 3.61 out of 5 to 3.85. Soldiers increased their confidence in their Army from 3.88 to 4.01. This is hailed as a significant increase. The increase is attributed to the Army raising its ethical standards, refurbishing, and fighting successfully in Gaza (www.imra.org.il, 2/7).
That is about a 7% increase. It does not seem significant to me. If they used a scale of 100, the small percentage change would stand out. But how can people quantify confidence, which is a non-numerical quality? It is subjective; everybody is different.
I think that the IDF ethical standard in combat is sacrificially high, out of political correctness. That gives me less confidence in it. On the other hand, the IDF ethical standard toward religious and right-wing Jews, whom it often does not protect from Arab and anarchist marauders and land thieves remains low. What used to be known as an army of the people has been ordered into becoming an enemy of the people.
As for the combat in Gaza, yes, the troops fought without the incompetence exhibited by their commanders in the Hizbullah war. But the Gaza war hardly is much of a test, given that Hizbullah mostly hid, observed, and reformed its own tactics and strategy. Thus it gained more from that war than did the IDF. Worse, Israel lost both mini-wars, judging by results. The defeatist heads of government held back, letting both terrorist militias survive. Now Hizbullah is a professional army and Hamas, too, has much stronger forces than before. Whereas they formerly had nuisance value, now they pose a strategic threat to Israel.
(For more on Hizbullah’s invasion plan, click here )
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