Mercy (at what cost ?)

{(Mercy (at what cost ?)}

As predicted, or indeed feared, a cease fire has been arranged between the Israeli Defense Force and the terror group, Hamas. The lull is to last four days and some fifty hostages are set to be released including women and children, the infirm and three Americans. Going forward, for every additional captive set free, the IDF would allow another respite of some duration. So, if this pattern holds, once all the hostages are released, why would Israel still need to engage Hamas ?

These hostages provided Hamas leverage. As long as the captives can be treated well and be released by Hamas, and once the terrorists display such "altruism," as signs of good faith, Israel will be subjected to such diplomatic pressure that its ability to return to the offensive against Hamas would be severely compromised.

For his part, Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu has said that the war will continue until Hamas is eliminated but will become increasingly conditional. As in any war, the question is always asked what will "victory" mean ? For Hamas, it will mean its continued existence, even after its ranks have been decimated. It had been the same for the Viet Cong after the Tet Offensive.

It would seem the situation has become more fluid. An apparent car bomb detonated in the Niagra Falls area killing the car's occupants. The incident is being classified as a terrorist act. These are not remote attacks on U.S. forces in the Near East but in the back yard. The vehicle could have gone off pre-maturely as a bridge crossing into Canada is not a mass casualty target necessarily but it could be linked to the on-going combat, ether Hamas or Hezbollah inspired.

Release of the hostages can be a positive development but any arrangement where Hamas remains viable in the near term is an Israeli defeat. And, depending on the actions of the United States and its President, it will be a defeat shared.