Better military technology doesn't always win Daily Edition

In the 1991 Gulf War, Israel faced a different inferiority, much similar to the inferiorities in this war. Iraq launched at Israel 39 Scuds - primitive, 300-kilometer rockets. The technology resembles World War II German-made V-2 rockets, but Israel had no answer even though its technology was much...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inThe Jerusalem post
Main Author Gordon, Shmuel L
Format Newspaper Article
LanguageEnglish
Published Jerusalem The Jerusalem Post Ltd 21.08.2006
Subjects
Gordon, Shmuel L
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Summary:In the 1991 Gulf War, Israel faced a different inferiority, much similar to the inferiorities in this war. Iraq launched at Israel 39 Scuds - primitive, 300-kilometer rockets. The technology resembles World War II German-made V-2 rockets, but Israel had no answer even though its technology was much superior. It took about 10 years to develop a suitable system - the Arrow - to defend Israel from long-range missile attacks. The IDF and its civilians have encountered two pinpointed, highly sensitive technological inferiorities. The IDF has failed to keep up with the requirements of defending Israel's civilians against the huge amount of Katyusha rockets which hit almost every town and village in northern Israel. The other inferiority is the threat of Russian-made antitank missiles, which have penetrated the thick and reactive armor of the Israeli-made Merkava, the "best tank on earth." Though only a few tanks had been destroyed, their teams suffered deaths and injuries and the threat has prevented armored units from enjoying freedom to maneuver, forced the IDF to change its tactics, and delayed its advancement toward the Litani River.