Will Someone Throw A Hail Mary?
By
Leonard Zwelling
In this opinion piece by Peggy Noonan in The Wall Street Journal on October 5, she notes the closeness of the presidential contest and the reasons for it. In the main Kamala Harris has generated no enthusiasm for a campaign about nothing and Donald Trump continues to undo what is probably his true lead by veering off in directions of no consequence. Don, no one cares about 2020 any longer.
It really is impossible to know who will win this thing or why. My question is, when both candidates seem to be behind by four points, will someone throw the long ball?
I’m not talking about ideas like not taxing tips. That’s a good pass to the sidelines as the clock is running down. I mean a real go for broke bomb into the end zone.
Harris has that chance if she can convince her current boss that he should stop being such a weenie and give up on a diplomatic solution in the Middle East. There is no diplomatic solution that will eradicate Hamas from Gaza. Hezbollah, while crippled due to the killing of its leadership, will not go away in southern Lebanon and Lebanon still does not have a real government. The Houthis are still an issue in Yemen and Iraq still harbors and supports the enemies of Israel and the United States.
Iran has attacked Israel. Not one of the many Iranian proxies, Iran itself. That’s all the excuse that is needed for Israel and the United States to join forces and end the current Iranian regime forever.
The United States and Israel should be able to jointly eliminate the Iranians nuclear facility, cripple the Iranian oil production, and use some of that Mossad know-how to eliminate the current Iranian leadership. A military victory like this would be a touchdown for Harris in the election. It would demonstrate that she will keep America safe and is not afraid of using American military might to do so. She would appear decisive and undercut any talk by Trump that she cannot handle a crisis.
For Israel, it might cut off the supply of weapons to the various Iranian proxies that have consumed the attention of the Israel Defense Force since October 7.
Admittedly, this would leave large holes in the oversight of places like Gaza, Lebanon, and Iran. The United States would need to recruit the Sunni Arab states in the process of rebuilding these places and the United States might have to put boots on the ground to assure a free Iran although the talent to run the country free of the theocrats probably exists among the people of Iran and the ex-pats who might come back.
We are at a critical moment in the history of the world. The Biden approach to foreign policy has been a dismal failure. Diplomacy throughout the world has not worked. Rather, it has encouraged the dictators in Russia, China, Iran, and North Korea to be ever greater threats to freedom because they have no fear of the United States.
A real and effective strike on Iran that leads to the collapse of the Shiite dictatorship would show that the United States is still a force to be reckoned with in the world. Furthermore, it would also allow Israel to escape the existential fear of nuclear annihilation by Iran without the use of nuclear weapons. Conventional weapons can do the job in the oil fields, the nuclear facilities, and, as Israel has shown, in the elimination of enemy leadership.
If Ms. Harris can be a visible part of the leadership team that finally knocks off Iran, her campaign would bolt to the front and she would be carried to victory. But does her boss have the courage to call the long ball play? We’ll see. A field goal won’t help when you’re four points behind.
8 thoughts on “Will Someone Throw A Hail Mary?”
A provocative reflection!!
I agree that we need a regime change in Iran.
After the Shah was overthrown, Iran began to disconnect itself from the West, demolishing decades of more favorable relations with everyone, including the United States. I remember when young Iranian, Israeli, Jordanian, and Saudi Air Force pilots came to Texas to train TOGETHER at the Defense Language School adjacent to Wilford Hall Air Force Medical Center where I was serving and where I operated on many of them and their families. They ALL were very professional and NOT Anti-American or hateful towards one another.
We have lost so much in recent years in peace in the Middle East, and regaining a reasonable detente is going to be so difficult. Bless those who are trying to improve things for every innocent soul there, especially for children and families.
As you point out, the people can get along. The leaders, however, are another matter.
“There is no path to peace. Peace is the path.” -Mahatma Ghandi. This was not magical thinking.
Some wars eventually end only when both sides are mutually exhausted. None of them are close to being there yet.
Absolutely correct. But the Israeli people are close
The solution to your quandary, is, elect Donald Trump.
He may win. Let’s see what he does.
One thought- any attack on Iran’s oil infrastructure will raise gas prices here to $8-$15 a gallon. That will crash our economy and its a receipe for losing an election.
On the otherhand if Israel declares an unconditional ceasefire in Gaza all this stops. Negotiations can take place for hostages and prisoners,eliat port can open back up, people can return to the north, reservist can return to their lives. In short peace. The events of the last few months have made it clear that Israel cannot control its neighbors nor defend its self. The power dynamics in the region have changed. Israel’s longevity now depends on diplomacy more than it’s arms. No one has to like it but, ” It is what it is.”
Maybe. Deal with Iran first. OK, spare the oil fields. Get the nuclear program and the leadership. Regime change is essential and don’t underestimate Israel.