[June 2, 2024] During the early years of the world’s war on terror, a question dogged our military. It was, “How do we end the war in Iraq and Afghanistan?” In other words, we were seriously looking for an exit strategy, and while we found an answer from U.S. diplomats, it was largely inadequate. Similarly, the U.S. is now demanding that Israel stop their war in Gaza. President Joe Biden’s strategy will allow Hamas to survive as a political and military organization. We did not learn our lesson about negotiating in the Middle East.
This past Thursday, Biden announced a deal to end the war between Israel and Hamas. Biden oddly presented the “deal” as if it were Israel’s proposal. I write oddly because that is uncharacteristic and outside the norms we find when allied governments negotiate among themselves. The entire text of the announcement was posted by the White House and titled Remarks by President Biden on the Middle East.
“That’s the offer that’s now on the table and what we’ve been asking for. The people of Israel should know they can make this offer without any further risk to their own security because they’ve devastated Hamas form- — forces over the past eight months.” – Pres. Biden
And here is the crux of Biden’s deal.
“Well, I’ve urged the leadership in Israel to stand behind this deal, despite whatever pressure comes.” – Pres. Biden
That looks like a take-it-or-leave-it approach used with enemies, not allies.
Biden’s strategy comes in three phases:
- Phase I: A total ceasefire and withdrawal of Israeli forces from all populated areas of Gaza. Release of a few unspecified number of hostages held by Hamas in exchange for hundreds of Palestinian prisoners. Some American hostages would be among them, as well as a few hostages that were killed. Palestinian civilians would return to their homes. Humanitarian assistance would surge into Gaza.
- Phase II: A reconstruction of Gaza would begin. Remains of more hostages killed would be returned. All remaining hostages would be returned. The U.S., Egypt, and Qatar will ensure that negotiations continue until all agreements are reached – a total withdrawal of all Israeli forces from all of Gaza.
- Phase III: Major reconstruction of Gaza would commence. The final remains of the hostages killed would be returned.
There will be many who criticize this strategy. I believe it is a fantasy to negotiate with Hamas under the rubric of a “permanent ceasefire” without preconditions that the hostages will all be returned. That is why it will fail right out of the gate. I had not heard Israel’s response when I wrote this article yesterday, but I have it now. I initially wrote, “My thinking is that Israel will initially play along with Biden to ensure a continued flow of military weaponry and grudging international support.” I was only partly correct.
“Israel’s conditions for ending the war have not changed: The destruction of Hamas military and governing capabilities, the freeing of all hostages and ensuring that Gaza no longer poses a threat to Israel. Under the [Biden] proposal, Israel will continue to insist these conditions are met before a permanent ceasefire is put in place. The notion that Israel will agree to a permanent ceasefire before these conditions are fulfilled is a non-starter.” – Prime Minister of Israel via X
However, Hamas will also not play this game. They will continue to launch rockets into Israel and demand a return of Hamas fighters imprisoned before hostages are released. This is an essential point because Biden’s strategy assumes the leaders of Hamas think like us and have similar values. They don’t. Hamas is damaged, and they need their fighters returned so their war with Israel can continue.
Regardless of what they say at the negotiating table, Hamas will never give up their mission to destroy Israel and kill all Jews. That is why Hamas must be totally destroyed. Israel’s Prime Minister Netanyahu correctly says their conditions must be met.
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Please read my books:
I think Gen. Satterfield has it right that Hamas will agree only if their fighters in Israeli prisons are released. They have lost too many fighters and they need replacements.
PC, I too agree. Gen. Satterfield has done us a favor by putting these ideas on the table for us to discuss. I hope that we can add more to it over time and as we learn more about Israel’s response. Note that Scott Johnson from PowerLineBlog wrote “according to the ToI story, I think it is fair to say that Biden seeks to exploit the division in Israel’s war cabinet and to depose Netanyahu. Biden has proved himself a practitioner of the art of the backstab as he continues his long history of foreign policy missteps and disasters.” This is an important point and damning comment on the character of Joe Biden.
https://www.powerlineblog.com/archives/2024/06/bidens-art-of-the-backstab.php
OUCH 🥵
“Israel’s conditions for ending the war have not changed: The destruction of Hamas military and governing capabilities, the freeing of all hostages and ensuring that Gaza no longer poses a threat to Israel. ” Good! And their conditions should NEVER change regardless, because this is the absolute minimum necessary to insure the safety of their citizens. Jews will die under Biden’s proposal. And the Palestinian people in Gaza will also die (and yet nobody cares about them, even if Joe Biden says he does, because he does not care). Gazans are pawns in a larger war that is being waged against the culture and peoples of the West. Israel just happens to be their first and major target. America is being prepped now for the next attack. And that prep is seen in BLM, Antifa, and college campus pro-Hamas demonstrations. America will die from an internal attack that our politicians are allowing to happen.
Will excellent comments
Willie excellent comments
What kind of stupid proposal is this? Yeah, we all know. It assures Israel that America is not a good ally.
Exactly, Israel will now know that America cannot be counted on when it comes to helping them. Jews are just cannon fodder for the US Democrat Party.
Doesn’t America get it? Hamas is out to kill every Jew. Ceasefires are irrelevant except to regroup and rearm and prepare to go out and kill more Jews. Biden’s proposal will FAIL. And it will fail again with another October 7th. And again and again. This proposal is inherently flawed because it puts nearly all the requirements on Israel and insures their conditions are not met.
How can I say it …. Joe Biden is an I D I O T. We all know it. He knows we know it. And his babysitting handlers know it. And his weaponized justice system knows it. The world knows it. And no body but a few will speak of the fact that the Emperor wears no clothes. Cheers, my friend Americans.
BC, you are a nut. And thank you for writing the truth in a crazy world where the truth can get you put in jail.
Good one, British Citizen. Imagine that everyone sees that Joe Biden is stupid, blind, and crazy but we all hold him up as a world leader. Truly the insane have captured and run the insane asylum. Sad day for America. And now Joe Biden has a strategy for Israel that guarantees Hamas will live on to kill Jews, he insists that Israel accept the ceasefire without preconditions for Hamas. That is insane.
KRause, Biden will send his DOJ after you for writing this kind of accurate statements. Just be careful, my friend.
⚠️⚠️⚠️⚠️⚠️ Be careful, Joe Biden’s police monitor! ⚠️⚠️⚠️⚠️⚠️
Rev Cain
Is that true about President Biden sending DOJ after people?
Rev Cain
Is that for real
👀👀👀👀👀👀👀👀👀 Well, we see that even the Brits know that Biden is …. well, you know … the unspoken. Oh, I see that Emperor Biden is wearing his finest clothes today. 👀👀👀👀👀👀👀👀👀👀