The Israeli bombing campaign is a strategic failure. Their air force generals recognise this. Yet the campaign is now in its second year. What’s going on?
Claiming a bombing campaign is a strategic failure is bold. Why is their campaign in Gaza a strategic cul de sac?
Bombing has a long and tragic history of failure.1 During the Second World War Germany was pulverised with 1,000 bomber raids. Hundred of thousands of people died and cities were reduced to rubble. Germany fought on regardless. It wasn’t until Germany was conquered with ground troops that the war ended.2
Gaza has no strategic targets. This means it hasn’t any significant industries, transport hubs or infrastructure to bomb. Israel’s F-35 fighter-bombers cost about $80m with a further$6.6m in annual maintenance costs.3 Israel’s sledgehammer is smashing a walnut.
Israel is using a hyper-sophisticated war machine against Gaza. Their equipment is perfectly designed for a different war. Israel has bought expensive F-35s, so they are using them. They are bombing Gaza into the Stone Age. Utter destruction isn’t a strategy, it’s revenge.
Israel doesn’t have a ‘Day After’4 strategic goal. Two million Gazan people are still there despite their territory being reduced to rubble. Annexation is attractive until it comes to implementing it. Dispersing two million people requires international cooperation, which is unlikely to happen.
Israel’s bombing campaign is incomprehensible.
Notes
1 Exception: the August 1945 bombing of Japan
2 Principally the USA from the west and the Soviet Union from the east.
4 ‘Day After’ means the day after the war finishes
Mission Statement: Concise critiques of major military events in two minutes
Odeboyz's Blog 
I agree with your point of view on bombing. I wish more people would point out its futility as well as it’s inhumanity. In my view bombing of civilians should be a war crime.
My only quibble is over Hiroshima/Nagasaki. There are arguments that the Japanese were preparing to surrender anyway. Also, nuclear bombs are qualitatively different to other kinds of bombing, so the comparison is a bad one I feel.
Thank you for your comment
Bombing is terrible and a pointless activity. Hiroshima di end the Pacific War. In March 1945 Tokyo was obliterated and the war didn’t end and I think that this demonstrates that ‘A’ bombing is the exception. (I’m writing about this in a few weeks.)