The reasonable, prudent, sensible reaction to the attack on Israel is for our side to kill them all.
It should be obvious, but, in these times, it is safer to say it anyway. Briefly:
Truly, you cannot do what you cannot do — that goes without saying.
READ MORE from Roger Kaplan: Is Ally Support for Israel Firm?
Although it is debatable, the consensus among U.S. and allied policymakers was that it would be imprudent for the Free World to declare war on Russia when it invaded Ukraine in February 2022 following years of proxy warfare, a form of invasion, in Ukraine’s eastern regions. Prudently or not, our government’s policy has been to help the Ukrainians resist the Russian attack, but not defeat it.
The question for policymakers now is whether it is prudent to join Israel in declaring war against the Hamas organization and its allies.
These include such para-state organizations as the Hezbollah (“God’s Party”) in Lebanon and such states as Iraq, possibly others across the region and beyond, depending on the seriousness of their stated support for Hamas (“Islamic Resistance Movement”). Saudi Arabia supports Hamas.
It would be up to our top defense officials to make such a suggestion, but there is no reason for the civil authorities not to debate the matter, as, indeed, they should under the Constitution and in keeping with all our cultural and historical mores. Ultimately, it is for the president to make the call and for Congress to approve the formal declaration. (READ MORE: Save Israel: Seize Iran’s $6 Billion)
Just three days after the treacherous attack, reminiscent of 9/11 and October ’73, as many have noted, the Israeli armed forces, Army of Defense for Israel, Tzahal, is securing the southern part of the country, where reportedly 900 civilians were murdered and an unknown number abducted, as well as soldiers captured. Israel’s objective is to destroy Hamas’ military capabilities, which would include its command and control centers, munitions warehouses, cross-border tunnels, and other assets, either from the air, through artillery fire, or by entering the Gaza Strip for ground operations.
If Israel requests American aid, ammunition, and intelligence-gathering support, there is no reason — although there is no law against politicians and others claiming there may be one — not to be as generous as possible in response. Already U.S. naval and air power is in the region and on alert. (READ MORE: Biden Fiddles and Israel Burns)
Nor is there any reason to delay a full-bore diplomatic offensive against Hamas — long on the U.S. government’s list of terrorist organizations — which would normally include economic and financial sanctions against Hamas donors and political diplomatic supporters. We ought to be in a strong position to put the squeeze on such oilcrats as the rulers of Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and others known to our national-security pros.
Iran’s rulers, outspoken and open-ended in their support for Hamas and other purveyors of wickedness, have been the object of a charm offensive by the U.S., presumably on the principle that being nice is its own reward. Recently, the Biden administration released billions of dollars of Iranian assets frozen by sanctions we put in place in an effort to discourage the Iranians from developing nuclear weapons.
If it has not been wired to Tehran already, it might be wise to refreeze the cash. To underscore its new grasp of reality — reminiscent of past shocks in American history — it might be a good idea for the administration to send Congress a declaration of war against Iran. The ayatollahs might well cave and ask for terms, but if not, well — Americans all are partial to Curtis LeMay, whether or not they admit it.
