The Long Game. . .

(The Long Game. . .)

President Biden is an author of the current fighting in Israel just as much as Hamas or Iran. Hs diplomatic overtures to Tehran, the $6 billion in funds to the Islamic Republic that is the funding source for these brutal attacks that that has now killed upwards of 1,500 civilians since the weekend. What could put an end to the fighting, not just in the Near Esat buy also could resolve the Russo-Ukraine conflict as well. However, there is such an such an obvious solution and no chance the President will act on it, If he "opened the spigot" so to speak and reversed on his energy policy, and began a crash course to re-open drilling sites and pipelines that would cause the price of oil to plumet and thus remove any financial incentive to continue fighting. But because that would be a violation of his green policy, the President will eschew that option. The price of oil will rise without American production increases and the price of gas will rise also. So much for attempts to curb inflation. Today, oil is up $3.54. And there is still life in the Iran nuclear deal. 

Riyadh, in contrast to Washington is taking a longer view beyond the short attention spans of the President. Hamas is a source of instability in the region and that is contrary to the interests of the Kingdom. If the Israeli Defense Force can invade Gaza and engage the terrorists by force, attempt to rescue those taken captive, and march all the way to Sinai, Hamas should be a broken force by that time.

Israel is doing the region a service. This offensive will end Hamas and close the door forever on a so-called Two State Solution. For all intents and purposes Gaza will again be an occupied territory and any notion of land for peace. Palestinian Arabs, whether in Gaza, on the West Bank, or the Hezbollah dominated regions of southern Lebanon, have always had the option to accept a peace plan but a condition, the formal recognition of the State of Israel but that had always been a bridge too far.

Israel could be crafting a new paradigm, one where a militarized Palestinian Authority is severely curtailed. When the dust settles and Hamas has all but been eliminated, what will be the reaction of Saudi Arabia ? It is true that the Hamas up-rising had the effect of tabling Riyadh's normalization with Jerusalem but this could be a temporary situation.

First, however, Israel must win the war. That could be a protracted process and will have an accompanying body count. Calls for a cease fire need to be resisted as no half measures can be applied. Hamas destruction will need to be total otherwise, like a fungus, the terror group could rise again, bringing everything back to square one.