To
Prime Minister
Yitzchaq Shamir
Prime Minister's Office
J e ru sa l e m

19. 8. 1990

Dear Prime Minister Shamir,

"better late than never," says the Volksmund, wherefore I still write you this letter. I am not sure it will do any good now, but I'll try anyhow. When Menachem Begin was Prime Minister, he used to have the kindness to take note of my letters and also answer them. It may be be you will act as he did.

When Saddam Hussein invaded Kuweit without warning, two records of Scripture came to mind: one is a historic record in the book of Yehoshua, the other a prophetic forecast in Daniel. Yehoshua was one of the greatest generals who ever lived, and his main tactic was to do the unexpected. The capture of the city of Ai is mainly what I am referring to (Josh. 8:3-23). 

1. The men of Ai were confident of their military superiority following their successful defeat of Israel, as Saddam and his army are now confident, following their successful military campaign against Iran.

2. Yehoshua ”CONFIRMED” the men of Ai in their belief by ”PRETENDING” INFERIORITY in actual battle. This pretense ”weakened” the suspicion, alertness and caution of the army of Ai. 

3. Yehoshua created a ”FALSE FRONT!” With his pretense of inferiority in battle (note: I didn't say, inferiority of equipment) he drew Ai's attention and forces away from the ”ACTUAL FRONT”, which Yehoshua created at ”his” own will, at the ”REAR” of Ai, where he stationed an ambush of his elite troops, especially trained men. 

4. The suspicion and alertness of the king of Ai and his army disarmed through Yehoshua's pretense, the city was left defenseless. While Ai's army persued what they thought Israel's complete force, the smaller company of elite troops took the city in ambush, occupying her.

5. Yehoshua and his troops now turned upon the army of Ai, and they and their king found themselves TRAPPED BETWEEN THE MAIN FORCE AND THE ELITE TROOPS, their city taken.

This came to mind immidiately upon Saddam's surprise invasion, TO GET THE MAN WITH AN EQUALLY UNEXPECTED SURPRISE INVASION OF HIS OWN COUNTRY OUT OF KUWEIT.

In the meantime, much precious time has been wasted, which gave Saddam time to set up extra guards over his chemical bases, which were to be taken in the surprise ambush together with Baghdad. Moreover, the international economic embargo is getting him merely enraged, and provides him with the opportunity to create an image of a hero of Islamic righteousness and Arab nationalism victimized by the corrupt West, while mortally hurting other nations who were not meant to suffer from this punishment. The embargo already shows that it will produce a catastrophic domino reaction, which in the end might have the effect of a bumerang, hurting the economy of the very nations by whom this embargo was launched.

Can Yehoshua's tactic still be applied now?

1. Saddam expects the actual front to be in Kuweit and along the Saudi-Arabian border, for it is there that the international forces are amassing. Yehoshua's tactic would be to ”CONFIRM” him in his belief that Kuweit and the Saudi border is the ACTUAL front, while he would SECRETLY TURN IT INTO A ”FALSE” FRONT, creating the ”ACTUAL” FRONT IN THE ”REAR OF IRAQ”.

2. The main force of the international military contingents is amassed at the above stated borders. While they should continue to PRETEND GOING INTO BATTLE with Iraq, specially trained elite troops should be posted in the rear, which means either at the border of Turkey or Syria. Turkey's border is mountainous and farther from Baghdad than the Syrian border. But Turkey might be more agreeable to such a set-up than Assad, although he hates Saddam. Since Saddam made the peace-agreement with Iran, the Iranian border can probably be ruled out (unless Iran is interested in getting back at Saddam, therewith restoring "lost face"). 

3. The AMBUSH TROOPS at the secret ACTUAL FRONT must be trained and experienced in the "SILENT" warfare, who know how to move quickly and quietly by night in foreign terrain to occupy main thoroughfares, Iraqs chemical and missile bases and her capital, Baghdad. If this is accomplished simultaneously both from the ground and from the air by parachuting in, while backing up the action with air-cover and anti-missile craft, it might succeed.

4. The IMPORTANT factor is to have Saddam concentrate on a ”FALSE FRONT”; to have him amass more and more of his force against an ASSUMED front which he believes HE created with his invasion of Kuweit; to ”CONFIRM” him in his belief of his own military superiority by the international forces FEIGNING battle inferiority. He must be drawn out by the cords of his main weakness, his incredible megalomania. He is suspicious of everything and everybody, but deeply believes in one thing: his own greatness. To confirm him in this belief could lead to weakening his suspicion and therewith his alertness. If he believes himself on the verge of defying international forces and grabbing not only Kuweit, but also Saudi-Arabia and may be Egypt, he will rush toward that goal with all his might, not paying attention to his rear. He must be prevented from moving his chemical weapons.

5. The main weakness of Saddam's military might lies in the air. He cannot afford confrontation in the air. His main strength is on the ground. It therefore is apparent, that the ambush forces must first paralyze the chemical and missile bases in order to engage Iraq in aerial combat if necessary, rendering her ground forces of null effect. He must therefore be made to feel secure, even as the men of Ai. If he feels sure he won't have need of his chemical weapons he might not move them nor overly protect them.

6. But --- because of too many big words from world leaders and all sorts of threat and waste of precious time and useless muscle flexing instead of swift surprise action, Saddam has already begun his counter moves. For a ruthless murderer such as Saddam to be held accountable for the lives of American citizens, as the detached Western super-man, US President Bush declared, is equal to holding Satan accountable for maintaining righteousness and justice in the earth. It's simply utterly unrealistic!

7. I believe the embargo is not only going to prove an utter failure, but a disaster. Only the taking of Iraq itself can have any valuable effect with the least of cost to lives and world economies. If it is true that Saddam already placed foreign citizens such as Americans on his various chemical bases in case of their bombing, then he proves to have a better understanding of the Western mind than the Westerners of the Arab mind, especially such as Saddam's or Gaddafi's or Arafat's. 

Israel proved at Entebbe, how trapped and captured citizens can be lifted out. But Israel CANNOT AFFORD to get visibly involved in this debacle. May be she can provide intelligence, but visible involvement will only result in all the world blaming Israel if they fail to contain Saddam, or even suddenly unite the Arab world behind Saddam against Israel. Yet America already proved in Vietnam that she does not know how to fight a people who willingly sacrifice lives. Saddam will not hesitate to hit a vital target regardless of the cost of lives, while the US will hesitate because of some American citizens. This means loss of precious, vital time. 

UNLESS ELITE TROOPS CAN LIFT OUT THE ENDANGERED FOREIGN CITIZENS, the above listed tactic of General Yehoshua will fail because of Western hesitance in the face of utter ruthlessness and the Iraqi willingness to sacrifice life. Only swift, totally unexpected surprise tactic, that is willing to reckon with some losses, can succeed and prevent far greater and severe losses. If no effective ambush troops at the above mentioned borders can be formed, with special elite troops as forerunners to lift out the foreign citizens, then I suppose the prophetic forecast of the angel Gabriel in Daniel 11:21-44 might come true, words which were shut up and sealed until the time of the end (12:9). 

This is the second Scripture, together with Daniel 8:23-26, which came to mind while observing Saddam in action and the world's response to it. If this "little horn" and "contemptible person" is indeed Saddam, then whether in victory or defeat, he will seek to swollow up Israel. If defeated, he will pour his undiluted wrath on us, holding us responsible for his defeat. If victorious, he will regard it his "holy duty" as the "true" leader of a united Arab Kingdom to eliminate the bothersome "Zionist presence." And there will be no international response to rally in the defense of Israel. We are alone,
unless we remember who we are and are willing to believe such words as written in the Psalms of 60:4-12, and 33:10-17 and 20:7-8. 

For as long as we (Israel) run from our destiny she shall persue us like an enemy. But the day we welcome and embrace her, she shall meet us like a friend.

Dear Prime Minister Shamir, I hope my letter will not prove useless and in vain, even though because of precisely that thought I procrastinated in writing you. It does not matter who or what I am, if only the above listed ideas may yet prove of some usefulness to contain Saddam and for the security of Israel.

With best regards,

Respectfully yours,

(Annelore's full name)

 
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