The Struggle For Palestine

(The Struggle For Palestine)

Over the previous nights, the Administration did finally retaliate against Iranian proxy positions. In a display of fire-power that could be considered impressive, with 85 targets struck including bunkers, weapons' depots and so on. despite the fact that two B-1 Lancers were deployed from the states, the end result of this campaign was that the attacks were purely political and were done because it looked bad if Biden had not acted. The President did well enough at Dover in receiving the three Fallen but that too was a political calculation and examined only un the context in the "optics" would benefit the Administration.


President Biden has no true empathy but he thinks he knows how to look on camera. And that is enough, Biden doesn't need to bomb Iran, he does not need to order further strikes against the Houthis. Added to that, the Houthis live in Yemen. Where did the bombs fall ? Iraq and Syria. So much for target specified, or relief.


But this is about the struggle for Palestine. East Palestine, Ohio that is. One year ago today. a train carrying various chemical agents derailed near the town, ignited, and contaminated the ground water. The President did not visit. Nor did the Transportation Secretary, Pete Buttigieg, The one who did make an appearance was Donald Trump. It might have been a political move in itself but, in contrast to Joe Biden, Trump was able to show empathy.


Now, President Biden is heading to East Palestine himself. How does one think the optics might look this time ? Just copying Trump ? And a year after the fact ? Trying to seem empathetic to one with no empathy cannot help but fail. And while East Palestine's Mayor did send the President an invitation to visit and tour the site after it has recovered somewhat. However, one can see that the President is only visiting because he is running for re-election and has to endure tours such as that to East Palestine.


Between the lack luster response to Iranian provocations and the trip to Ohio, the President and those in his circle cannot make calculations that are not political in nature. The six-day delay after the deaths at Tower 22 invariably allowed assets to re-deploy so the effect that, the limited objectives will not seriously dampen Iran's capabilities.


In any strategic calculus, it is always capability over intentions. The U.S. has the capability to meet all the military objectives. However, President Biden cannot seem to find his intent.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Siege Of The Alamo

(Siege Of The Alamo) Any visitor to Downtown San Antonio will recognize the City's most famous landmark, the Alamo. An old Spanish mission that means "Cottonwood" in English was the site where the likes of Jim Bowie, William Barrett Travis and Davy Crockett and about another 185 Texians defended the Mission and its compound for thirteen days against the Army of General Antonio Lopez de Santa Ana and his 5,000 troops. The garrison was finally reduced on March 6, 1836. However, the Texian defeat at the Alamo and another one at Goliad, bought time for General Sam Houston time to fall back and then face Santa Ana at San Jacinto. There, Houston's army surprised the Mexicans and yelling "Remember the Alamo, Remember Goliad !" all but wiped out the Mexican force. Santa Ana was captured and was forced to recognize the Republic of Texas. Which is now the State of Texas and, like 1836 Texas War of Independence, there is a new invasion from Mexico. Not the armed body o
Read more

TEQUILA !

(TEQUILA !) Happy Cinco de Mayo or May 5th. One can hope that a lot of you out there are awash in inebriation, seeking to mainline tequila shots or enjoying a nice margarita on the patio. Or, in other words, relax. Take a breath. De-compress. May 5th as it happens is the anniversary of Mexico's victory over French "occupation" of Mexico by Emperor Maximillian, brother to Austrian monarch Maria Theresa in what has been called the Battle of Puebla. The reason France was in Mexico in the first place was that Mexico, after the Mexican-American War and a more civil conflict called the Reform War, had bankrupted Mexico City. Mexican President at the time was Benito Juarez, who repudiated all foreign debt, of which France, Spain, and the United Kingdom were all major holders. A naval expedition was dispatched to Veracruz and France's Napoleon III thought it would be a good idea to establish a French "empire" in Mexico. But, on May 5th, 1862, in the aforementioned B
Read more

Intended Consequences

(Intended Consequences) For those Readers who live in the Tri-State area, who had the earthquake this morning, just be still.  There is a postulate called the Law of Un-Intended Consequences. Basically, it says that even with the best intentions, negative results sometimes happen. However, there are also instances when a negative result is precisely the desired outcome. Like with the Israel- Hamas war where the Biden Administration continues to press for an all but unilateral ceasefire on the part of Israel. In California, the new $20/HR minimum wage is wreaking havoc on the fast food industry. And finally, after depleting the Strategic Petroleum Reserve, oil has now become too expensive. How many times must the Biden Administration think it can influence Israeli affairs ? How many times must Israel ignore it. Threats from the President have become redundant at this point but is Biden really prepared to cut Israel loose ? In the middle of the greatest crisis Israel is facing since the
Read more