The dramatic move is a result of General Adam's failure to suppress the Hezbollah rocket fire after four weeks of trying. So far, the guerrillas have launched a recorded 3,200 rockets into Israel and there has been no let-up.  Moreover, there has been criticism of northern command not only for its handling of the ground war. Questions are still being asked about the way Hezbollah was able to carry out the cross border attack on July 12th that killed eight IDF soldiers and abducted two others. General Adam reacted to the IDF casualties suffered in the fighting at Marun Aras and Bint Jbail as ' the price paid by inexperienced soldiers in guerrilla warfare'. Then this week, twelve paratroopers were killed while gathering out in the open by a Katyusha near Kibbutz Kfar Giladi in what was a breech of basic security precautions. But overall it's the perception that the IDF has not shown its traditional drive forward using innovative tactics to dislodge the enemy. For his part, General Adam has said the IDF reserves were mobilized only two weeks after the outbreak of war. In addition, guerrilla warfare is a slow methodical operation in order to prevent casualties. However when asked why Israeli air power was not called in to help take the Hezbollah headquarters of Bint Jbail where two more IDF soldiers have been killed, General Adam replied there are still some Lebanese civilians and a hospital in the town.

The demotion of General Adam came less than twenty four hours before the security cabinet discussed an IDF proposal to expand the war to the Litani river and beyond. Hezbollah is launching most of its rockets into Israel from this region. General Kaplinsky has a lot of Lebanese combat experience under his belt - his appointment indicates that ground operations will now be stepped up to root out the terrorists.   Chief of staff Dan Halutz, the former Air Force Commander IDF strategy has been to depend mainly on air power.