Saving Corporal Shalit
Written by Major Tom
Filed under: Global Politics
June 28, 2006
IF EVER LIFE COULD IMITATE ART, this might be one clear case in point. On Sunday, Palestinian militants that are highly affiliated with Hamas, which is now the ruling party in the Palestinian parliament, dug-up a tunnel that started in Palestinian territory and ended up on Israeli ground. Due to this crafty method used by the militants, two Israeli soldiers were killed after they were attacked at an Israeli outpost near the Egyptian border and an Israeli officer named Gilad Shalit was abducted. It was a daunting Sunday morning raid that took the Israeli side by great surprise and mostly off guard. The tunnel is said to be 800 meters long and was built after 4 months of arduous tunneling. The attack was carried out by putting about 1.5 tons of explosives at the end of the tunnel, just below of what was an Israeli outpost. One news site called the method “very ingenious” and although crude and low-tech compared to other modes of attack used by militants before, it is very hard to guard against. It might be very difficult to anticipate this sort of attack even by the use of powerful satellites. There is just no way of scanning effectively of what’s actually happening below ground over a very large area like the Israeli-Palestinian border. Maybe Israeli military intelligence would have to devise a new equipment or military apparatus that could prevent this kind of attack in the future.
The Sunday morning attack was so unusual that to me, it’s the sort of thing that can only happen in movies, like in Jerry Bruckheimer movies for example. This certainly reminded me of one Sylvester Stallone movie titled “Escape To Victory” where prisoners of war from the allied forces had forced their way from captivity by digging a huge tunnel that had led them to their freedom. Incidentally—on this World Cup season— this movie is also big on soccer as the prisoners had also used the game of soccer in planning their escape from their German captors.
And the Israeli response to the daring Sunday raid was also cinematic in a way that as I am writing this, Israeli tanks and fighter planes are still bombarding the Gaza area, as Israeli soldiers incursed into an area they had recently given up and they are demanding for nothing less than the freedom of Corporal Gilad Shalit from its Palestinian abductors. All that mayhem; only for one Israeli soldier. Just like that World War II movie we all know too well, Steven Speilberg’s “Saving Private Ryan”.
This recent tumults between Israel and Palestine is downright regrettable. Hamas was supposed to finally recognize the Israeli state, a very big step that may lead towards lasting peace between the two warring nations. And this had to happen when Hamas seems to appear to be softening now as miniscule economic aid into Palestine by perennial donor countries had greatly affected its clout on power, as rising food shortage and health crisis could turn an angry Palestinian populace against them.
Now it is reported that Hamas is moving mountains for the release of Corporal Shalit. But what if Hamas does not really have a hold on those militants whose leaning is not so very ascertained? This mayhem—huge fire and explosions in the Gaza area resulting from fierce Israeli firestorm—may go on for days and may just exacerbate the already very fragile situation between the two rival nations.
I hope that this latest raucous episode between Palestine and Israel would end up just like in the movies, where everything is settled and resolved. And there’s a lesson to be learned at each end….Well at least for most of the time.
Reminded me of the vast Chu-Chi tunnel network created by the Vietcong near Saigon, and from where they would launch surprise attacks against the GIs. These tunnels were given credit for the North having won the Vietnamse war.
Undetected by satellite and overhead spy planes, I’m sure the Israelis had already assumed the Palestinians might just devise a similar tunnel network. Whew!
Comment by erisac — June 28, 2006 @ 9:46 am
Actually, there is such a device. It’s known a a ground penetrating radar, and it’s currently being used by the US and South Korean armies to detect the extensive underground tunnels that the North Koreans have built for the sole purpose of attacking Seoul.
Comment by snglguy — June 28, 2006 @ 12:46 pm
That’s great news then, Snglguy, because what the military refused to discuss after the war was that mostly those of Asian and Hispanic descent (usually of small physique) were usually chosen and ordered to go down those tunnels. That’s akin to ordering someone to walk on a field littered with landmines just to confirm the extent of its potential danger.
With this technological advances in underground detection, no more human lives will be put at great risk whenever an enemy tunnel entrance is discovered.
Comment by erisac — June 28, 2006 @ 3:13 pm
The Chu-Chi tunnel must have been one good reason why the militants have thought of this. In fact, I’ve seen some colonial war movies—like Cold Mountain for example—where tunnels were use to bombard enemy territories. Only thing is that recently, this sort of method wasn’t utilized as much that it still appear as sort of “crafty” and “ingenous”.
Just as I must have assumed, the ground penetrating radar is one equipment the Israelis need right now to thwart this sort of attack in the future, an attack that had left them obviously devastated that it resulted into this almost full-blown war.
Comment by Major Tom — June 28, 2006 @ 3:58 pm
I saw “Escape to Victory”, a long time ago. It was indeed a combination of using football to forge camaraderie as well as a means to escape. Great cast, good plot but alas it is just a movie. Unfortunately I don’t think that peace would ever reign in the state of Palestine, any time soon.
Comment by Daphne — June 29, 2006 @ 4:13 am
I did enjoyed it so much. That movie was in fact one of the most memorable to me, especially with a Sylvester Stallone that was not yet as crappy as he is right now, what with all those action movies.
That seems to be quite clear right now; peace in that region has just become farther away by thousand of miles.
Comment by Major Tom — June 29, 2006 @ 6:01 am
erisac> Yes, I know about those tunnel warriors, they were called ‘tunnel rats’ back then. Don’t be fooled by the small stature of these guys, they were one of the toughest in the Vietnam war. Imagine, armed only with a .45 and a knife, they had to crawl through the maze of tunnels and fight hand to hand combats with the VC by themselves, without back ups.
As for the N. Korean tunnels, they aren’t your ordinary tunnels mind you. These are underground ‘highways’ and can accomodate vehicles that can carry a fully armed battalion across the 38th parallel on the sly.
Comment by snglguy — June 29, 2006 @ 6:45 am
Things that only happened in the movies are now happening in real life.
What’s next, my guess is more bloodbaths and deaths to the hapless half brother.
Comment by myepinoy — July 1, 2006 @ 9:41 pm
peace in the middle east. hmmm. that sounds like me learning to cook. both impossible. but that’s just for now. maybe tomorrow, someone can unify the palestinians to agree to the details of the oslo agreement. that’s more likely to happen than me becoming a chef.
Comment by atticus — July 2, 2006 @ 10:42 am
To myepinoy: That seems to be happening rolly but I hope the bloodbaths won’t happen.
To atticus: I have the same mind about the peace there…it is just not possible like it’s an impossible dream. In fact, it looks like a nightmare out there.
Hmmm,…don’t always count yourself out on cooking. I can teach you some tips. You know, I can always teach you how to cook fried eggs. As long as it fried,..you can count on me.
Comment by Major Tom — July 2, 2006 @ 3:31 pm
Well, if we base things on Biblical prophecy, things in the Middle East will actually become worse. It has already been foretold years ago: nations will rise against Israel.
Now, Lebanon has also provoked Israel by kidnapping two of its soldiers. And I won’t be surprised if the world will denounce what Israel is currently doing to protect its people.
I do agree with the Israeli government: a prisoner swap thing should not be negotiated. Blood is on the hands of these prisoners.
(Hi, Major Tom. Thanks for visiting my blog.)
Comment by Jayred — July 13, 2006 @ 11:08 am
That’s what I fear also Jayred. The biblical prophecy or the hints and inclination to it seems to be insistent that always, grave wars are always possible in that region…
Comment by Major Tom — July 14, 2006 @ 6:03 am