"2. One retired 2* who I worked with, had personally been involved in driving HGV vehicles through western europe gathering targeting information for soviet nuclear strikes."
If they hadn't have done that, I would have been very surprised and the military leadership should have been sacked. After all, it would be basic intel gathering which the west does as well.
Re Israel, if they were left alone and didn't have rockets dropped on them all the time, then I think they and the whole place would quieten down.
They just happen to have the will, the means and where with all to retaliate and they do so stop upsetting the beast.