Monday June 23, 2014

I've Been Thinking:

The rocket that was shot from Syria into Israel is a violation of the cease fire between the countries, and the death of a thirteen year old Israeli is tragic - but the incident must be viewed as an isolated event.

Never the less, Israel responded by launching nine sets of Spike ground to ground missiles into Syria. The Spike missiles are extremely accurate weapons and all the missiles hit their targets in the Syrian Golan. The targets were Syrian army positions, including the command post of the 90th Division headquartered in the Golan.
Israel needed to respond. Syria launched the rocket on purpose. It was not an errant missile gone astray from a battle with al Qaeda. And it killed a 13 year old boy. Israel decided that it was worth the risk of escalating tensions in an area that has been quiet and under control and shot back.

As always, Israel has to weigh response and retaliation against defense and deterrence. Overreacting might incite war. Inaction might stimulate more rockets and more bombs lobbing into Israel.

It is a gamble that Israel is willing to take. For Israel, every life is valuable and valued. And Israel has determined, militarily and politically, that a precision strike at the force which launched the rocket was the right decision.

We will soon know if their calculation was correct.

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