Rudyard Kipling"
“When you're left wounded on Afganistan's plains and
the women come out to cut up what remains, Just roll to your rifle
and blow out your brains,
And go to your God like a soldier”
General Douglas MacArthur"
“We are not retreating. We are advancing in another direction.”
“It is fatal to enter any war without the will to win it.” “Old soldiers never die; they just fade away.
“The soldier, above all other people, prays for peace, for he must suffer and be the deepest wounds and scars of war.”
“May God have mercy upon my enemies, because I won't .” “The object of war is not to die for your country but to make the other bastard die for his.
“Nobody ever defended, there is only attack and attack and attack some more.
“It is foolish and wrong to mourn the men who died. Rather we should thank God that such men lived.
The Soldier stood and faced God
Which must always come to pass
He hoped his shoes were shining
Just as bright as his brass
"Step forward you Soldier,
How shall I deal with you?
Have you always turned the other cheek?
To My Church have you been true?"
"No, Lord, I guess I ain't
Because those of us who carry guns
Can't always be a saint."
I've had to work on Sundays
And at times my talk was tough,
And sometimes I've been violent,
Because the world is awfully rough.
But, I never took a penny
That wasn't mine to keep.
Though I worked a lot of overtime
When the bills got just too steep,
The Soldier squared his shoulders and said
And I never passed a cry for help
Though at times I shook with fear,
And sometimes, God forgive me,
I've wept unmanly tears.
I know I don't deserve a place
Among the people here.
They never wanted me around
Except to calm their fears.
If you've a place for me here,
Lord, It needn't be so grand,
I never expected or had too much,
But if you don't, I'll understand."
There was silence all around the throne
Where the saints had often trod
As the Soldier waited quietly,
For the judgment of his God.
"Step forward now, you Soldier,
You've borne your burden well.
Walk peacefully on Heaven's streets,
You've done your time in Hell."
Combat units If there is a land invasion, whether limited or more ambitious, it is likely to be led by three of the IDF's most famous elite combat units. These are the GOLANI Mechanized Brigade, which would probably seal off or actually advance into the Bekaa Valley. The BARAK Armored Brigade with the most modern Merkava-3 battle tanks will probably punch its way up the heavily defended coast highway toward the Litani or onward to Beirut.
And finally the 7th Armored Brigade would probably be used to destroy Hezbollah forces between the Lebanese border and the town of Tibnin on the Litani River, but most importantly to support either of the flank units and exploit any opportunities.
Of these three elite units, only the BARAK is part of the Northern Command (PAZAN); the 7th and the GOLANI are part of the Army Commands Rapid Reaction Force. This also includes at least eight other elite armored, airborne and parachute brigades.
Northern Command The Northern Command when fully mobilized for war would include the following major units:
36th Armored Division (three to four armored brigades) - a regular unit.
91st Regional Division
252nd Reserve Armored Division
ADOM (Eilat) Reserve Armored Division
PELED Reserve Armored Division
YOFFE Reserve Armored Division
These are supported by independent mechanized infantry brigades, additional mobile artillery, combat engineers with bridging equipment and numerous special forces units, including the PAZAN 12 and PAZAN 14 Northern Command Special Combat Teams for operations behind enemy lines and the T'ZASAM Special Reconnaissance Team capable of airborne insertion for visual reconnaissance operations deep within enemy territory.
Northern Command, even without significant reinforcement, would at full strength have about 180,000-200,000 men and women, several thousand battle tanks and about 3,000 armored combat vehicles and self-propelled artillery, multiple rocket and missile launchers. From the Asia Times in full...........
