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Beware of "Unintended Consequences": PA vs. Hamas, et al

Reader comment on item: Poll: Israelis Want Victory, Preferably without Paying the Price

Submitted by Robert (United States), Jul 9, 2021 at 09:20

I assume that the use of your word Victory is not metaphorical, meaning defeating the enemy through military warfare. The trouble with that is what is known as "unintended consequences." After 9-11, we want to war with Afghanistan and its Taliban leadership. Now after 20 years of continuous war we are about to depart with the same Taliban apparently taking the country over. Similarly, in Iraq, by taking down, militarily the regime of Sunni Saddam Husein we have created a a vacuum that has been filled by Shia forces of Iran, and Iran is by far a much more potent adversary of the United states.

For Israel to take down Hamas militarily (your notion of Victory) would only do the work for Abbas and his Palestinian Authority, the the PLO and Fatah. What would that accomplish for Israel? Perhaps something worse and much more unstable and unpredictable. Hear this observation:

2021 6-30 Palestinian Police State by Khaled Abu Toameh
https://www.gatestoneinstitute.org/17515/palestinian-police-state

I know you respect Palestinian Journalist Khaled Abu Toameh. His view is that the current rule of the PA in the West Bank is that of a POLICE STATE. So a military defeat of Hamas would result in the PA Police State being instituted in Gaza under Abbas. Would that be a "Victory" for Israel? After all, war is merely Politics by other means. Israel creating for the Palestinians this "Police State" may be the worst thing Israel could do - if that "Victory" becomes unsustainable in the long run.

Submitting....

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Daniel Pipes replies:

I do not advocate replacing Hamas with the Palestinian Authority. I advocate instilling a sense of despair among Palestinians, forcing them to realize that their dream of eliminating the Jewish state of Israel is forlorn.

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Reader comments (29) on this item

Title Commenter Date Thread
1Beware of "Unintended Consequences": PA vs. Hamas, et al [250 words]
w/response from Daniel Pipes
RobertJul 9, 2021 09:20269808
Collateral Damage Always Contentious - Yet Never-ending in Consequences of Such Clashes [291 words]M ToveyJul 10, 2021 13:06269808
1Palestinian Cohort and Demographics [459 words]RobertJul 2, 2021 11:32269415
Views of Victory Valued in Cost of Victims [476 words]M ToveyJul 2, 2021 18:37269415
1So, Victory Means Re-Installing the Palestinian Authority (Abbas) in Gaza? [138 words]
w/response from Daniel Pipes
RobertJun 29, 2021 09:33269263
2Israeli Victory - Against the World, or the Palestians? [85 words]RobertJun 26, 2021 14:25269030
1The truth should be Israel's Hasbara. [233 words]PrashantJun 27, 2021 19:38269030
That marriage of convenience [83 words]JeffJun 28, 2021 21:19269030
1Communist China and the Arab Spring [318 words]RobertJun 28, 2021 21:25269030
Arab Uprising Under Persian/Marxist Influences [299 words]M ToveyJul 1, 2021 18:42269030
4Civil War in Palestine (1948-2021) [516 words]RobertJun 23, 2021 06:51268714
4Russia vs. Turkey [401 words]RobertJun 22, 2021 11:27268647
1Intrigues of Empires Returning to Become Obstacles to Israeli Victory [126 words]M ToveyJun 22, 2021 15:52268647
True--but Understandable [534 words]
w/response from Daniel Pipes
Stephen BermanJun 19, 2021 22:40268478
1People are ready to ray the price - if it is worth it [498 words]JT MeyerJun 15, 2021 11:38268259
2Hamas in Gaza Entails Viuctory for Israel [417 words]
w/response from Daniel Pipes
RobertJun 11, 2021 14:08268163
3"Paying the Price" = Zero Israeli Casualties [267 words]RobertJun 12, 2021 10:55268163
Change Government Does Not Have Victory in View [62 words]M ToveyJun 12, 2021 12:09268163
1Islamic way of thinking is wrong [107 words]PrashantJun 12, 2021 18:09268163
1Is Israel Victory humanly achievable? [55 words]PeterJun 9, 2021 14:34268074
Who wkll be doinv theactual fighting [64 words]Steven ShermanJun 11, 2021 10:58268074
Defense of the Political Will in Jeopardy When Resolve Does Not Match the Threat [95 words]M ToveyJun 14, 2021 00:35268074
Diffusion of Political Wills and Opinions Affecting Defense of Sovereignty [212 words]M ToveyJun 22, 2021 10:05268074
3Israel needs the kind of leadership that inspires victory [234 words]DaveJun 8, 2021 21:56268036
2It is NOT an Israel vs. Palestinian problem [192 words]PrashantJun 10, 2021 23:25268036
2A Matter Of Will [119 words]
w/response from Daniel Pipes
Gary SackJun 8, 2021 16:14268024
1Clash of Wills - Clash of Empires - Kingdom Victory [125 words]M ToveyJun 9, 2021 10:40268024
3Total Victory, Simple Victory [64 words]Gary SackJun 9, 2021 14:39268024
1What Price Victory - What Price Peace [605 words]M ToveyJun 8, 2021 12:13268011

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