This Day In History: The Six-Day War Begins…
Okay boys and girls, it’s history time!
Forty years ago, the Israeli Air Force launched Operation Focus, a massive airstrike that destroyed more than 450 Russian-built warplanes belonging to Egypt, Jordan and Syria. Nearly 200 Israeli aircraft participated in the strike, which allowed the Israelis to claim air superiority and permitted their jets to effectively support ground units. Egypt’s air force, which had been the largest and most modern air force in the Arab world at the time, was demolished and rendered nearly useless, while the Israelis lost only 19 planes.
The Israeli victory is one of the most astonishing in modern military history, with Israel tripling the area of its territory, humiliating the Arab community and stunning the international community. However, the victory was bittersweet as it led to the growing perception of Israel as a neo-colonial power rather than a scrappy underdog. More importantly, it dragged Israel into the never-ending conflict in the now occupied West Bank and Gaza Strip.
Anyway, if you have the time, it’s interesting to take a look at a historical moment that has lasting repercussions to this day.
Only at the OC blog will a discussion about economics and history devolve into one-liners involving alcohol. That’s cool.
I thought that was called a “hangover.”
Tim, I don’t love you as much as I love not having to read about the pareto efficiency. There’s a reason I passed EC 201 with a C-.
Sho: You know you love me.
Tim: I had to search Wikipedia to read up on sunk cost. I repeat: I read about economics on Wikipedia, during my free time. Please don’t make me do that again.
But yeah, you’re right. Israel is the ticket buyer to a really bad Uwe Boll movie in that particular scenario.
Sho: I call sunk cost fallacy on that! I call it hardstyle!
Eh, that conflict has been happening since 1919. It just has been fresh in more minds in recent years.
Shit, I watch PBS *every* night, yo. I mean, if my tax dollars are paying for it…
Someone watched PBS last night…