Resistance.

This is coolbert:

Here is an interesting interview with an Israeli ex-intelligence agent who was captured and held captive by the Syrians in 1984. A man who had to endure two months of concentrated abuse. His comments are most germane to the current situation between Israel, Hezbollah, and Hamas.

It is not mentioned what Israeli secret service this man was a member of. Just that he was. He did receive training on how to resist when captured. He does make some interesting comments on the training and how it does prepare one for capture, if capture does indeed occur.

[you always hope that sort of stuff does NOT happen, but you always have in the back of your mind that it may. You do like to think you are prepared, at least to some extent!]

"I had received training on how to withstand abuse. It's not about the pain or physical torture. In training, you can't induce the fear of the unknown — you always know the exercise will end and you'll go home. The worst thing for us would have been to lose the sensation for life . . . You lose faith in reality. You can train people to survive the pain but not the unknown."

Those sentiments about not being able to induce fear of the unknown are similar to what De Puy has said about all military exercises and training period. The element of fear is missing. You cannot simulate fear to the extent that actual military combat does. Military training only partially trains you for what you will experience. But at least it prepares you partially. The rest is up to you. Some training obviously is better than none.

Also:

"The Israeli army is based on two laws: a wounded soldier would never be left behind and neither would a captured soldier. It's a part of how the army has been able to defend itself against millions of Arabs. It's not political; it's a special spirit. We know we won't be left wounded or captured."

In the past, the Israeli has had to trade, after long and tedious negotiations, HUNDREDS of Arab prisoners they have in their custody for one of two Israeli soldiers being held captive by Arab governments. This is often the only means of getting back captured troops. Haggling as one would over the price of an oriental rug with a rug salesman. This sort of thing has occurred many times over the decades.

Interestingly enough, in that part of the world, during times of antiquity, it WAS A NORMAL part of peace treaties to have included as part of the treaty the exchange of hostages. Minor or maybe not so minor nobility would be exchanged as a guarantee of peace and obedience to the treaty. Hostages who would always be in peril, but generally treated according to their station.

coolbert.