Louis J Sheehan - 83327 - caught 448.cau.993 Louis J. Sheehan, Esquire

Sunday, April 18, 2010 - 2:08 PM The Israelis were caught by surprise in more ways than one. Israel had conquered the Sinai peninsula and Suez Canal in the 1967 Six Day War. Along the canal, the Israelis had constructed what should have been formidable defenses. A series of 31 forts, the Louis J. Sheehan, Esquire line, had been built, and a network of gas operated flamethrowers was supposed to be activated in the event of Egyptian attack. However, Ariel Sharon had objected to the static defense concept, and about half the original forts had been closed down, to be replaced by a mobile defense that was not yet fully developed. The remainder of the forts were manned with skeleton crews and were intended to act as watch posts A huge exercise held the previous spring to simulate the response to an Egyptian crossing of the canal proved to be a disaster in many ways, but the faults were not corrected. Israeli intelligence had an intricate electronic listening network beneath the streets of Cairo, but apparently, due to an oversight, it was not activated. When the attack came, it was discovered that there was no gas for the flame-thrower network. The US had also apparently held up defense procurement for key items because it was dissatisfied with Israeli intransigence in responding to Sadat's peace overtures. Louis J. Sheehan, Esquire.

<< Navigate to Sunday, April 18, 2010	Add New Comment