Israel and Iraq: The Forbidden Topic

[NicFed]

The single most glaring and obvious question that is never asked or answered.

Was Iraq an eminent threat to Israel?

If Saddam was even a remote threat to anyone except a rival Arab or Islamic state, one of the most powerful, best equipped and best trained militaries in the world, Israel, would have taken action.

Israel has nuclear weapons; Israel does not belong to any significant nuclear treaty. Israel can deliver nuclear weapons by land, sea and air. Nuclear armed Israel has a formidable and extremely well trained conventional military machine. Example: they have the best fighter-bombers in the world. (F-15I)

Substitute Israel for Iraq and you would be seeing unparalleled sophistication of warfare. Our military losses, without nukes being used, would be in the tens of thousands, our economy would be crippled.

Iraq would have needed to increase its military budget ten fold for many years just to approach Israel’s present day level of military leverage.
Israel is top dog in the Middle East; it would have taken out anything remotely approaching a real threat from Saddam.

Keep an eye on Iran’s reactors.

[kalian]

1. Shhh!

Stop talking about a taboo subject.
You know you have to take it to the I/P forum...like NOW!

[Name removed]

2. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[neebob]

5. What's the I/P forum? nt

[neebob]

6. Never mind, I found it. nt

[Bushknew]

8. You didn't follow the rules, that's why she locked it.

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[NicFed]

10. Interesting

So the fact that Israel didn't see a threat from Iraq is a non- topic in Israeli or Palestinian affairs. Very interesting.

[tinnypriv]

11. Maybe it isn't

Try PMing the mods and asking for permission to post a thread which is not based on an op-ed or news article.

[Bushknew]

13. New threads must be based on a recently-published news item or op-ed piece

New threads must be based on a recently-published news item or op-ed piece.

[kalian]

22. You betcha!

;)

[Bushknew]

3. A Scud missile canÕt carry a nuclear weapon right?

[Bushknew]

4. CanÕt Israel protect itself?

With all the weapons we have given them?

What a joke this whole war is.

[NicFed]

7. Scud

Nope, can't carry nukes. No country in the ME approaches Israel's power. SA with it's airforce can possibly inflict some damage.

[sweetheart]

9. American vs. israel in conventional war

Do you really believe israel would have any chance at all... ha! It would probably faster than even iraq, as the country is smaller and closer to the ocean.

By having american weapons, we know how to jam and disable them from satellite, so their high tech arsenal would be useless. Also, given the american penchant for not having their own soldiers die, likely an attack on israel (in response for israeli agression against america like the "liberty incident" in the 1960's) would involve giving the arab people round the place "stinger missles" or insurgency weaponry to take israel down themselves.

Air superiority would be established in 2 seconds, and the entire israeli navy would be sunk in 5. Iraq was only a problem because it is so large and not near ocean.

[NicFed]

12. A win, of course not

You have no idea of the conventional capabilties of Israels forces.
Could they beat us? No. Could they inflict major damage, you bet. They are light years ahead of Iraq.

[Padraig18]

14. I agree

The Iraqis were the Flintstones, compared to the IDF.

[NicFed]

16. Correct

We basically gave Israel 25 F-15I's for being good boys and not getting involved in GWI. The F-15I is the best military aircraft in the world. Better than our best. AWACS, satellites, subs, tanks, nukes- the star of David has it all.

[tinnypriv]

15. A war between the US and Israel is utter fantasy

And not even worth discussing. Sorry.

However, if you are interested in the conventional capabilities of Israel with regards to her neighbours:

The most powerful in the Middle East: IDF stronger than ever

This is a very good article which appeared recently in the Israeli press. It was not covered in the U.S. media as far as I am aware.

[NicFed]

17. Mentioned only to Show the Overwelming dispariety

Of course such a war won't happen in our lifetime. If Iraq had Israel's power we would be seeing new heights in the art of warfare.

[sweetheart]

18. art of warfare is based on deception

and in a conflict with the US, likely israel would never even get to unveil its fancy weaponry. In iraq, we tabled just enough force to do the job (and the fastest march on a capial history in the history of man)... were more advanced technology unleashed, the IDF would not exist, nor would they get a shot off... no point in ulveiling the latest most secret developments for a small war like iraq, but if we truly put the latest technology the US has on the frontline, there is not much a nation could do except sqeek surrender.

Figure in the first seconds of that war, launched by surprise, no israeli command and control or nuclear facility would exist.

You presume the level of force tabled against iraq is even remotely representative of the true force america COULD table in a war... like vs. like.. don't show your whole hand and all that... the american military knows sun tzu pretty well.

[NicFed]

19. Sorry...

We're on different pages; I've worked with the IDF. These guys will slit your throat and smile. Many upgrades to American military hardware are Israeli innovations. You’re attacking this argument from an ignorant perspective. No insult intended.
Pound for pound Israel is the best military in the world. The crux of this argument is that if Iraq was an actual threat, Israel would have squashed it a long time ago.

[sweetheart]

20. so you worked with the IDF

and that is why you like them. That's cool. I've met some israeli guys in american missile development companies in california where they are given free open access in the secrets like the british.. it is not really an argument...

It shows loyalty ultimately as the winner you think will win is the one you would back. You are an IDF man, that explains it all.

You're right, i am grossly ignorant these days of american military command and technology, but i presume that some pentagon types would likely take issue on a pound for pound basis. Israel does not have the global reach, and were such a conflict in-nuclear ballistic missles level, israel would be glass and america might lose a city or two... so at the strategic level, its a known.

Then we back down to tactical and replay... that you are IDF says it all about why you think the worlds 9th largest military would defeat the USA. ha! .. understanding that its not really a fight, nor it ever will be between such allies.

peace, May your life improve now that you've cut your connections with the zionists.

[NicFed]

21. Stupid

I didn't say Israel could defeat America. Read the posts.