Lebanon, Syria & Iran: Acts of War against Israel and Lessons for America

By: Steve Yuhas

In typical United States diplomatic speak the White House condemned “in the strongest terms” the attacks by Hezbollah on Israel that resulted in the deaths of seven Israeli soldiers and the capture of two more.  How many times can a country condemn something before they realize that condemning it doesn't matter to the perpetrators?  The attacks came from Lebanon and Hezbollah (supported by Syria and Iran) claims that the soldiers are being held in order to solve the offensive taking place in Gaza to rescue another Israeli Defense Force (IDF) soldier, Gilad Shalit.

Sheik Hassan Nasrallah, the leader of Hezbollah, spoke in Beirut, Lebanon saying that the IDF actions that escalated in Gaza and began in Lebanon will not win the freedom of the Israelis.  Despite the fact that the terrorists say the actions will not work – Israel began an offensive that Israel’s Prime Minister, Ehud Olmert, said would be “very, very, very painful.”

The interesting thing taking place in the Middle East today is not that there is a conflict in Gaza (that is predictable when 800 rockets hit kindergartens in Israel and it is governed by terrorists from Hamas) or that terrorists supported by Syria and Iran staged a daring incursion from Lebanon into Israel; rather, that Israel is doing everything she can to get back her soldiers and contrasted against the United States military action in Iraq – that is something we can learn from.

This is not to infer by any means that the United States military leaves people behind or that any serviceman would ever walk by another without acknowledging him or her or helping.  Having worn the uniform I know better and would never infer such a thing, but look closely at our responses to the treatment of our citizens or military men and women and one has to wonder...

There is also no question that we care honorably for our wounded and dead, but isn’t there something dramatic about a nation that is willing to go to war on behalf of one or three of their own soldiers; it borders on chivalry and is quite unique. 

The difference in what happens when an Israeli is captured or killed versus when an American, civilian or military, man or woman is wronged is dramatically different in Israel and the United States.

Consider that just a few weeks ago two American soldiers, PFCs Kristian Menchaca, 23, of Houston, TX and Thomas L. Tucker, 25, of Madras, OR were found “slaughtered,” according to Major General William Caldwell.  The two were abducted during a raid and were later found to have been beheaded and killed in what the military called a “barbaric” way.  What did America do?

Not much of anything. 

No doors knocked down, no overwhelming military response, no incursion into neighborhoods to do anything to find the killers – just more of the same official condemnations and telling the world that the perpetrators will be brought to justice.  Meanwhile, they remain at large and our military remains hamstrung and unable to provide the type of response that a nation like Israel is willing to do for the lives of three of her men.

The difference between Israel and America is not simply language, but philosophy of winning.  To be sure, there is no difference in the minds of our servicemen who would rather see killers killed and things blown up to avenge the deaths of their brothers in arms, but Israel is fighting for her survival and will do anything for any one of her citizens (even if politically incorrect) where America is worried about public and international opinion.

Wars cannot be won on the backs of opinion polls – they are won by men and women wearing camouflage who are willing to die for a cause.  It is politicians who get in the way of allowing retribution for the brutal killing of American servicemen; more than sufficient numbers of soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines are willing to volunteer to seek out and kill those responsible for killing and beheading our men in uniform, but politicians say "no, lets condemn and talk about it."

Israel, on the other hand, is a democracy that knows that if she shows weakness, if she bows to political pressure from the outside or from leftists inside the country that it will be her doom.  The United Nations is all too willing to side with militants against her and since the response from the United States is different when something happens to an Israeli compared to when something happens to a United States serviceman – one has to point it out. 

Blow up an Israeli civilian and every American President says to Israel "show restraint."  Blow up a civilian American somewhere in the world and feel the wrath of our military - eventually or covertly.

The United States should be increasing operations in Iraq to show that we are serious about winning the war and ferreting out those elements who would dare behead an American, but we’re not.  Yes, we have special operations units operating in the area and yes they are seeking to find those responsible, but compare that to Israel who is willing to invade a territory that it voluntarily left, another nation and mobilize her national guard when just three of her men go missing.

Differences are striking between how the two nations operate not because one cares more or less for her population or military, but because the United States cares about the all important and never successful quest to look diplomatic.  Israel cares about results and it will not stop until her mission is achieved – the United States will stop, look at diplomacy, allow it to fail and then move on.  We are in the wrong and could learn from the Israelis.

In the coming days the world will almost assuredly align to condemn Israel for whatever she does in response to the raids by Hezbollah into Israel from Lebanon.  The world will ignore the fact that Syria and Iran support the terrorist organization and say that Israel must show restraint.  Israel will note the objection and continue her fight to find her missing soldiers – dead or alive.

The United States should adopt the same philosophy in order to win in Iraq and finally and ultimately end the conflict, a low grade one at that where more Iraqis are dying every day than Americans.  The United States should take out the so-called “triangle of death” around Baghdad and make it an example of what happens when you take an American and cut of their head. 

We won’t because of the oh so important “Arab Street,” but it is time to ignore that street because it does not even exist and never has – it is only a term that news organizations use to show 500 people gathered at a mandatory anti-US demonstration as representing the Arab world.

Israel is prepared to go to war for three soldiers and the deaths of a dozen others – what are we prepared to do when we are already at war in order to win it?  I say look to Israel for an example and the conflict in Iraq will quickly begin to wind down because if militants understand one thing it is an eye for an eye and a 1000 pound bomb on a few targets in the center of town may anger a few diplomats and some peaceniks, but it will save more Americans from the beheading knife of an Islamic fanatic.

Steve Yuhas is a columnist and radio talk show host on KOGO AM 600 and may be reached at www.steveyuhas.com or steve@steveyuhas.com