That seems to be the implication given by Robert D. Kaplan, national correspondent for The Atlantic and a senior fellow at the Center for a New American Security. In Iran's Postmodern Beast in Gaza, Kaplan writes:
The ideologizing of hatred, like the ideologizing of religion, can empower millions of alienated, working-class Arabs who feel psychologically adrift in the world of the early 21st century. Israel won its audacious military reputation during the age of Arab state armies. Because Arabs never believed in their own secular states, their armies were never very good in the first place, and thus Israel had no trouble impressing the world in its wars against them. But at the sub-state level of movements like Hamas or Hezbollah, the Arabs very much believe in their cause, and thus Israel has a real challenge on its hands.
Kaplan is not suggesting--at least I do not think he is--that the reputation of the IDF is undeserved or its ability overestimated. Yet isn't Kaplan underestimating the Arab belief in their cause in 1948? There are all kinds of variables, from a military point of view, that went into Israel's victory in that war. However, didn't the Arabs believe in their cause--as promoted by the Arab countries and their leaders--against Jews who were vilified in the Arab media? And let's not forget that the Yom Kippur War of 1973 almost ended up impressing the world with Israel's defeat.
On the other hand, what is so different about these 'sub-state' movements that supposedly inspires their members better? Is it the cause, or is it the ability to allow people to put bread on the table.
Hamas pushed to impose Sharia law in Gaza. It has also been know to take resources from Israel, intended for the people of Gaza, for itself. Hamas has also led Gaza straight into the situation it now finds itself. Hamas may be a Hizbollah wannabee, but it is not in the same league--and Gazans may be realizing this.
Hamas and others were successful because of their unique political status that lent it the cover it needed--and the Arab states saw this and were only too happy to allow terrorist groups to have at it with Israel.
But now Hamas has turned into a threat to neighboring Egypt and is seen as too big for its britches--and as a puppet of Iran who is seen as a threat to the Arab world in general. The challenge may not be the Arab believe in their cause so much as the Western world's belief in their's.
Technorati Tag: Israel and Gaza and Hamas and Operation Cast Lead.
1 comment:
It's certainly not the case in the 1948 war of independence that the Arab armies were not "very good". Yes they were conscripts, however they had the geography, overwhelming numbers, tanks, artillery and aircraft. They were up against mostly untrained irregulars lacking ammunition, fighter planes, armored vehicles and even basic light weapons and ammunition at the beginning. What they did have was a survival instinct and the will to fight not only for the man beside you but for their family just over the hill.
I believe it comes down more to the points outlined in this classic article "Why Arabs Lose Wars" http://www.meforum.org/article/441
Most important is the combined arms operations - we can see how effectively the IDF have the various platforms all humming along nicely together, from intelligence to logistics, airforce to ground troops and armor. I just saw a three minute video of some troops walking around gaza and all you can hear is the sound of drones in the air. Our qualitative edge is still intact because the lack of integration due to fears of a coup prevents the Egypt, Syria and the Saudis from co-operating with their various forces, let alone with each other.
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