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SIGNIFICANT ISSUES SERIES
The Center for Strategic
and International Studies
Washington, D.C.
2007
Lessons of the 2006 Israeli-Hezbollah War
By Anthony H. Cordesman with George Sullivan and William D. Sullivan
The 2006 Israeli-Hezbollah War marked the third time in less than a quarter of a
century that Israel conducted major military actions in Lebanon. As the authors point
out, however, it also marked the third time that Israel miscalculated the strategic
consequences of intervention in Lebanon. This book assesses all aspects of Israel’s
goals in the war, from crippling the Iranian influence in Lebanon, to ending Hezbollah’s
status as a “state within a state,” to liberating two captured Israeli soldiers. The tactics
used to achieve those goals, explain the authors, did not serve a plausible grand
strategy, and the result was to generate forces in the Arab world that will thrust Israel
into a broader, four-cornered struggle with radical Arab elements.
The authors discuss major lessons regarding the conduct of the war, its tactical and
technological aspects, and the lessons of the “Law of Unintended Consequences.”
Israel’s grand strategy and strategic assumptions were fundamentally flawed, showing
that conventional forces can be vulnerable to asymmetric attacks and can create
political problems that o∑set many of their military advantages.
At a time when the United States is involved in asymmetric wars in Afghanistan
and Iraq, both the United States and its allies need to learn the lessons of the Israeli-
Hezbollah War as quickly as they can—and act accordingly. This volume provides
a timely assessment of flawed war planning, overreliance on high-technology
conventional warfare, and a strategy that underestimated the strength of the enemy.
Anthony H. Cordesman holds the Arleigh A. Burke Chair in Strategy at CSIS.
He is the author of more than 50 books on national security policy.
George Sullivan is a legislative assistant on Capitol Hill and a former researcher at
the Burke Chair.
William D. Sullivan was a research associate at the Burke Chair and is at the
Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy.
Cordesman
LESSONS OF THE 2006 ISRAELI-HEZBOLLAH WAR
Lessons of the 2006
Israeli-Hezbollah War
Anthony H. Cordesman
with George Sullivan and William D. Sullivan
ISBN 978-0-89206-505-9
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CENTER FOR STRATEGIC AND INTERNATIONAL STUDIES
