There’s hawks calling for more war.
These mainly US and Israeli hawks argue that Iranian blood needs to be added to the cauldron of suffering. All civilian suffering is regrettable they say but often a necessary evil to get the right kind of suffering. The Iranian’s are the real problem because of the funding and support they give to their proxies: Hamas, Hezbollah and the Houthis. So the Iranians must suffer next for there to be lasting peace.
The hawk consensus is a little like this.
Before October 7th a permanent negotiated peace settlement to secure prosperity for the people of Israel and Palestine was impossible. Mostly Israel lacked a meaningful “partner for peace” on the Palestinian side. On the upside Israel kept the prosperity anyway.
Peace with Hamas became impossible after the horrors of October 7th. So Hamas had to be destroyed entirely. But it would be tricky. Hamas had embedded itself into the civilian population. So massive civilian losses, though regrettable, were (and still are) a feature of the military response to the deadly attacks. Still not enough.
Nor is it enough to assassinate senior members of Hamas.
So what next? Apparently the only way to permanently end this current conflict forever, the hawks say, is for Israel and the USA to take on Iran. Stop Iran and stop their proxies, Hamas and the rest.
For reference Iran is a nation of approximately 88 million people with a standing army of under half a million soldiers.
The prospect of an all out war is grim. And with Russia and China watching every move surely there’s an alternative?
Thomas Friedman writing yesterday in the New York Times thinks so. He believes Israel must seize the initiative by embracing the more moderate Palestinian Authority (PA). The PA have been working successfully with Israeli forces to prevent violence in the West Bank. By supporting the PA and creating a functioning governing structure for Palestine, Israel can cut Iran’s influence off and secure lasting peace for itself and the region.
It’s challenging to imagine this playing out. Got thoughts? I’d love to hear them.
McNally's Miscellany 