In a rare public criticism of US policy in Afghanistan and Iraq by an Israeli
public personality, Oded Tyrah on Sunday called Washington’s war strategies an
“inevitable failure.”
Tyrah, formerly a brigadier-general and ex-president
of the Manufacturers Association of Israel, said “uncertainty” was a key war
strategy, and that US President Barack Obama erred when he announced deadlines
for withdrawing troops from Iraq and Afghanistan.
“Once your enemy knows
your deadline for disengaging, he can prepare how to outlast you,” Tyrah, who
denies he has any political aspirations, said on the eve of third and final
debate between Obama and Republican presidential candidate Mitt
Romney.
Tyrah, who was an artillery officer during the 1967-1970 War of
Attrition with Egypt, said announcing plans to withdraw is especially
problematic during wars of attrition that are decided by staying power and
stamina.
“When the enemy knows your deadline, he can always take a deep
breath and outlast you,” he said.
Announcing plans to withdraw also can
“revitalize an exhausted enemy,” and decides the battle for the hearts and minds
of the local population in favor of the enemy, he said.
“This gives the
enemies of the US a credible case for announcing they will outlast him and stay
forever. Who would you side with? The side that pre-announced its departure, or
the one there to stay?” The announcement of the withdrawal deadline was a
strategic mistake that “re-energized America’s enemies, made the job of the US
military much harder, and probably pushed the local population to the other
side,” Tyrah maintained.
