Tunnels.

This is coolbert:

I did get a lot of comments to the blog entry on the Hamas tunnel complexes.

Some folks hit upon the same thing, flooding:

"In Vietnam flooding of VC tunnels was sometimes used. Israel has the high ground, and could flood the plains of the Gaza strip with brackish or salt water . . . Selective flushing out in more than one sense, one might say."

"Gaza's water table is very high. In winter - the rainy season - low areas are flooded. So tunnel warfare is limited to the southern relatively dry and sandy area. Which can be easily flooded - the underground stream flows from Israel to the Mediterranean. It is a question of water engineering (and we are rather competent in that) and resources (brackish water)."

NOT a bad idea, flooding. DENIAL is the goal here. During the Vietnam War, denial was implemented in several ways. One method involved spraying the walls of the tunnels with persistent riot agent [tear gas]. Movement within the tunnel would stir up the agent and cause a lot of pain [non lethal], to any occupant.

The Germans, in World War One [WW1], when evacuating the Hindenberg Line, denied the facility to American troops by detonating inside the fortification five pound charges in which was embedded persistent mustard agent [blister agent]. The walls became coated with blister agent. You could not move inside the structure without wearing a protective suit, of which few were available AT THE TIME!!

Also, this comment that is indicative of how tunnel warfare creates the asymmetric battlefield that so frustrates conventional military forces.

"In the next battle, low crawling will probably be a lot more useful than all the money spent on the Merkavas."

YES, VERY TRUE!! The enemy a terrorist/guerrilla/insurgent force, by using tunnels and a whole host of bunkers, fighting positions, etc., negates the advantages a conventional military force such as the Israeli has. War becomes cave-man like, literally so. A soldier, by himself, has to go into those tunnels and confront and kill the enemy with only the weapons he can carry, and at almost point-blank range. This takes great courage and fortitude. The great advantage in technology and firepower enjoyed by the Israeli is nullified!!??

coolbert.