"Israel Defense Forces Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Benny Gantz marked the three-year anniversary of Operation Cast Lead on Tuesday by hailing it "an excellent operation that achieved deterrence for Israel vis-a-vis Hamas." However, he warned, cracks have emerged in that deterrence over time, and a second round of fighting in the Gaza Strip is not a matter of choice for Israel.
Such a round must be initiated by Israel and must be "swift and painful," he said, adding, "I do not advise Hamas to test our mettle."" Haaretz
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This famous picture of a child burnt by napalm is known to all. Less well known is the detail that the napalm was dropped by VNAF fighter bombers trying to keep the NVA from capturing her town just outside Saigon toward the end of the war. Awful.
In Operation Cast Lead the IDF used shells loaded with white phophorus, WP may be even worse than napalm. The phosphorus lights itself and burns at ambient temperature. It burns underwater. If you have it on you the only practical thing to do is cut it out.
The ammunition is normally used for creating smoke barriers on a battlefield to obscure the movements of friendly forces. You may remember that on one occasion the IDF used it on a school for children, a school sponsored by the UN.
"that achieved deterrence for Israel vis-a-vis Hamas." Did it? Did it really? pl
