Not the hostages! Forget the so-called “hostage talks,” which are simply a mechanism for stretching out the war and increasing pressure on Israel. They are a sign of American desperation for a political victory. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, according to Egyptian sources, aims to “persuade both Hamas and Israel to embrace the American proposal without adding complications.”
Aside from the repugnant equation of “both” Hamas and Israel, “complications” are what are known as “war goals.” Israel had three at the outset: to secure the borders and the people of Israel; to uproot the Hamas military and governing capability in Gaza; and to get the hostages back. (RELATED: Israel Recovers Bodies Of Six Hostages From Gaza)
How is Israel doing?
If you want a political opinion about Israel’s war, ask a pol. If you want a military opinion, ask a military officer.
John Spencer, Chair of Urban Warfare Studies at the Modern War Institute at West Point, gives us a starting place. Writing in Foreign Affairs, he says: “War is the pursuit of political objectives … (and) has a start and a finish, so its progress can be assessed based on how close each side has come to meeting its political objectives. By this measure, it is Israel, not Hamas, that now holds the advantage.”
Political objectives? The United States told Israel it could not achieve political objectives through warfare. Spencer disagrees. “Brute force is what gives Hamas the ability to rule over the population of Gaza. If it succeeds (in eliminating Hamas’s military capabilities), Israel can........