The Pregnant Pause
Link to quote: A Delayed Invasion - The New York Times (nytimes.com)
It is official now, the very thing many people suspected: the Israeli delayed invasion was caused by pressure from the great progressive proxy, Joe Biden.
“The [administration] pressed Israeli leadership to delay because of progress on the hostage front,” and the need to get trucks of aid into Gaza, one person familiar with the discussions said.
US seeks delay of Israeli ground incursion for more time for hostage talks | CNN Politics
That is why Blinken and Biden went to Israel. The obvious ploy by Hamas of taking hostages worked perfectly. Terrorists learned how Israel deals with hostage takers during the famous raid on Entebbe in 1977, but they also know how Joe Biden gives away the store to get them back. They knew that the US under Biden would put pressure on Israel. Israel is up against a terrorist entity funded & backed by Iran, which wants to kill every Jew in Israel. It is a bit disgusting to have an American president go to Israel and say a lot of nice things in front of the camera, but then tell the Israeli Prime Minister in private to delay an invasion while the US negotiates for hostages and tries to deliver aid to the Palestinians.
The Biden middle east policy is the same as Obama's. That means encouraging Israel to deal with the Palestinians and making nice with Iran. Biden has lifted sanctions on Iran and recently tried to enrich Iran with $6 billion "for hostages." Eventually, Israel and the US will have to deal with Iran. It clearly won't be with this president, but that day will come. When Iran is defeated, we must do what we did with Nazi Germany. We need to find all the bad guys and put them on trial and we must change Iran's borders so that it cannot be a threat again. I assume that means we need to wait for a Republican President.
Good morning to my friends, our readers and the brightest members of NT.
Is the meantime the Israeli Air Force is weakening Hamas.
“We will increase our strikes, minimize the risk to our troops in the next stages of the war, and we will intensify the strikes, starting from today,” IDF spokesman Daniel Hagari said on Saturday. Hagari added that Israeli forces will “continue to destroy terror targets ahead of the next stage of the war, and are focusing on our readiness to the next stage.”
Hamas and Israeli troops clash in Gaza as airstrikes intensify | CNN
What a cowardly statement.
On what basis?
The statement represents leaders from the heart of NATO countries. Are they all cowards, or do you just reserve that hate for Biden?
No mention of Iran.
No mention of victory.
It seems being a traitor to the people of the US was not enough, Joe needs to be a traitor to the Israeli people as well.
And they said he was a failure.
I'm just thinking about this aid package for Gaza, you know the one that has to go through Hamas hands. I'm thinking about the millions of Americans working two jobs to get by and all the homeless veterans in America.
Does any of it make sense?
It makes sense to "scrambled eggs for brains" Biden and his partisan fools who cares more about terrorists and Illegals than Americans.
You dont want any humanitarian aid for innocent Palestinians ? Gee that will certainly create a lasting peace. /s
You appear to know nothing about why the region is in conflict. Hint - it's not about the amount of aid they get.
Do you think the Allies should have humanitarian aid to Germany during the two world wars?
1) They were told to get out.
2) How much of that aid do you expect to get to them?
It is because HAMAS wants to kill all Israelis and a good portions of the Palestinians seem to feel the same way.
So tell everyone how we can get the aid to them and only them.
GAZA/JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Israel bombarded Gaza with more air strikes on Monday as its soldiers fought Hamas militants on the ground in raids within the besieged Palestinian enclave.
Gaza's health ministry said 436 people had been killed by Israeli aerial attacks in the past 24 hours, most of them in the south of the narrow, densely populated Gaza Strip.
Israel pounds Gaza as soldiers skirmish with Hamas (msn.com)
Meanwhile, back at the beach....
Biden Lounges at Beach While U.S. Embassy Evacuates Personnel, U.S. Forces Face Multiple Attacks – RedState
Yup, and the media says the world is on the verge of war.
Go figure.
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What would Muslim Jesus do?
That sounds like a Harris word salad or Joes Gibberish. Sometimes it is hard to tell the difference.
Biden is trying to recover an aborted peace with public relations. Before this is over we may lose Iraq the way we lost Afghanistan. Who will Biden blame for that? Israel?
Pay attention to Asia, too. The war there will be over the Philippines and not Taiwan. Biden is going to bungle the United States into another quagmire.
The world burns and Biden's response is to throw more money on the fire. Our adversaries are only buying more matches and laughing all the way to the bank.
The singleminded way many of our far rightwing MAGAs are now contorting all the facts merely to blame America and their own President for all the problems in Israel and Gaza is actually stunning. They lamely blame President Biden while in fact he is actually receiving international praise for so wisely and capably leading the free world throughout two emerging world crisis against both religious fundamentalism and Russian aggression. Their total lack of self awareness is stunning. Stunningly UnAmerican!
History will eviscerate the MAGA for how badly they behaved at this time!
The Arabs snubbed him.
Another first for Biden.
At least his seat is filled.. Can't say the same for Speaker of The House. Oops.
Weak deflection attempt.
Not at all, just stating a fact.
Doubling down on a weak deflection attempt.
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I know, let's forget the whole thing and give Hamas $6 billion for the hostages and a promise never to bother them.
He might say WTF Hamas, you must want to die. You don't really believe there are 72 virgins waiting for you, do you?
The Israelis can kill all the Hamas they want any time they want to. Whats the rush?
I think they can take a short period of time, a few weeks maybe, to try and get the hostages freed, before they attack on land.
Some people just hate Joe Biden so much they can no longer think clearly.
There is no cease fire. How many more have to perish meanwhile to suit your wishes?
John said nothing about any "cease fire". The article, if you can call it that, is blaming President Biden for Israel not yet mounting a full on invasion of Gaza! Do you even understand what is going on?
And what I am saying is that the fighting hasn't stopped and more and more are going to perish if it isn't stopped. If there was a ceasefire, then waiting a week or two would be completely different. Think prior to posting and try to understand what is being typed.
And yes I understand what is going on. Why not move while the time is right. Surely the aid can be delayed for a little while. (See how ridiculous that sounds) Strike while the iron is hot.
Apparently so.........................I find that a regular trait of some on the left. They are in such a hurry for a gotcha, they don't think.
Let's give them all the time and money they want. / S
I think they can take a short period of time, a few weeks maybe, to try and get the hostages freed, before they attack on land.
So far, its been two weeks for two hostages. How many do they have?
Some people just hate Joe Biden so much they can no longer think clearly.
Joe Biden will be hated for what Joe Biden did.
You think Hamas is going to agree with "give the hostages up in a couple weeks and then we are going to kill you all"?
Or are you saying once again they negotiate with terrorists and wait for the next round of atrocities against Israeli civilians?
You do realize the longer they wait the more the Hamas cowards can fortify their positions, hide and get more innocent Palestinians used as shields so when Israel does attack more soldiers and innocents will end up dying don't you? Of course that will give you the chance to trash Israel some more.
This idea that Israel is going to wipe out the terrorists who bother it is juvenile, as is the idea that Hamas or any other Terrorist organization is going to kill all the Jewish people. Both of those ideas are wrong in conception and detail. Killing more people will not bring any more peace. Killing more people will only cause more people to be able to claim "They" killed my child, father, mother, sibling... and be a recruiting tool for both sides in their continued aggressions against the "Other".
It is a recruiting slogan, a siren song to the disaffected.
The reason that Hamas carries the weight that it does is they were an organization that carried out many of the actions of a good government or charity, thereby gaining the support of people in the community. I don't say this as a defense of their horrible actions at all. I say this in the hope that someone will realize that nothing exists in a vacuum. People support Hamas. People support the Palestinians. They are not monolithic any more than Republicans or Democrats or Americans or baseball players. But they did get to where they are by visibly supporting the Palestinian community.
Yes, that never happens. Germany is still run by Nazis and the emperor's cult runs Japan, the nationalists control China etc....
r any other Terrorist organization is going to kill all the Jewish people.
Have you read a history book? Civilizations get swept off the map pretty routinely. There's nothing magical about Israel that's going to protect it from happening.
So did the Nazis and Japanese Imperialists.
So your response to Pearl Harbor would have been to demand a cease fire and ship aid to Japan?
Yes, the support the community through trickle down economics. They take funding from Iran, Turkey, Qatar and private Gulf State donors and trickle some of it down to the people.
It does not matter where the assistance comes from to those who need it.
You keep trying to make these broad assertions that make the Israeli Palestinian conflict be on the order of Hitler's or Yomimoto's active global ambitions.
It is not.
Even Iran does not have ambitions of this scale. So your claims that I would do this or that are non sequitur. Try discussing the actual issue at hand instead of conflating issues and building strawman arguments.
Exactly, Irans’ view of Israel is much more scalable.
From Israel's POV it is no different. Do you think the calls for Israel's eradication are a joke? Do you think Israel should agree to be eradicated just because Iran doesn't plan on global conquest?
and instead of conflating issues and building strawman arguments.
Of all people to make that claim.
They will still be able to conduct terror, but Israel's goal is to destroy them as an effective military and governing force.
And my point is that they will never kill their way to peace. They are just recruiting the next generation of terrorists. The Israelis and whatever version of displaced people's army the Palestinians come up with because they feel disrespect from the the Israelis.
Exactly, stupid Jews. They need to accept Hamas’ conditions.
I agree and also find it interesting that neither Egypt or Jordan will allow Palestinians because then there would be no Gaza conflict?... There will never be a two state solution. Israel should do what it needs to.
And just who fucking said that? Not me.
Now why don't you stop being a smart-ass and try to think of a solution. I am quite sure that one does, but it is not in the "kill your way out" scheme of things because that has been tried.
How many have thought of a solution since 48?
This Just in:
H amas released two more hostages on Monday, just days after releasing two American women on Friday, sources confirmed to CBS News after a spokesperson for Hamas announced the release.
According to a message posted to a Hamas-affiliated Telegram channel, the two hostages released Monday were let go for humanitarian reasons after mediation by Qatar and Egypt.
Hamas releases 2 more hostages as war with Israel continues (msn.com)
Israel is pressured to stand still as hostages are slowly trickled out.
The day Hillary Clinton got something right:
I'm not saying it's anything other than terrible. It would be great - remember, Israel left Gaza. They took out all the Israelis. They turned the keys over to the Palestinian people.
And what happened? Hamas took over Gaza. So instead of having a thriving economy with the kind of opportunities that the children of the Palestinians deserve, we have a terrorist haven that is getting more and more rockets shipped in from Iran and elsewhere.
Holy moly I just found myself agreeing with Hillary Clinton | Not the Bee
It seems to be the consensus that Biden is responsible for Israel holding off on their attack on Hamas/Gaza. Seemingly to free more American hostages and help Hamas.
Let's look at it from a military point of view. Military doctrine states that for a battle to be successful, the attacking force (Israel) must have a minimum of a 3 to 1 manpower advantage over the defending force (Hamas) because the attacking force will sustain greater losses than the defending force. Israel has with reserves around 400,000 troops which would include support troops, Air Force, and Naval forces. I am not sure of the number in the combat arms units. Hamas is guessed to have around 40,000 fighters in Gaza and these are very well-trained combat combat-experienced and totally dedicated and for them to give their life is an honor.
Hamas has had decades to develop its defense and build up its supplies and with the very extensive tunnel systems and civilian support it presents a very formidable enemy that will fight to the end. If you are interested on how defending force uses the land study the Japanese in WWII or the NVA in Vietnam. In WWII the US Navy bombarded the Japanese held island for days adding in the Air Force bombing for days and at the end when the Marines hit the beach, the days of bombardment didn't do much serious damage to the Japanese as the Marines found in the vicious fighting that took place in the Pacific. The tunnel systems protected them from most damage. Iwo Jima is a classic example. Look at Hamas as the Japanese their Samari fight to the end is a hallmark of both.
What we are adding to Gaza is its urban warfare (exceedingly tough and dangerous) with an exceedingly well-devised and developed tunnel and cave system.
If you would like to understand this type of fighting speak to any vet from Hue in Vietnam or Faujallah if Iraq. Another doctrine when attacking a defending force is to lay as much arty and air force bombs on it and if it takes weeks so be it. Doing this Israel is not losing troops or equipment but they are weakening the enemy. When the time comes for the attack and they breach the walls and are inside the city tanks become next to useless. Trapped in narrow streets some dead end they are sitting ducks for hand held munitions by Hamas. Every window will have a sniper every corner/room/hallway will have hidden fighters, booby traps will be everywhere and even with a concentrated bombardment Israel is going to suffer a huge number of KIA/WIA. There should be no rush by professional soldiers to lose massive amounts of troops when they can keep weakening Hamas without risking troops in an premature attack that could turn into a bloodbath for Israel.
I'm sure both the US and Israel want their hostages out safely but blundering in will cost the hostages their lives. Calculated force margins, continued bombardment and intelligence gathering will be the key to a victory, IMO.
You got that right, attacking in a dense urban area were the defender has had ample time to set traps, tunnels IEDs is an infantry soldier’s nightmare.
It may be Hamas’ strategy to first provoke an overreaction by their horrifying brutality two weeks ago and then expect a hasty invasion where they can spring surprises.
That certainly is a possibility and probably more of a probability. I read a comment made 3 or 4 days ago where a high ranking American told Bibi ''Don't make the mistake we did and attack unprepared'' I have not been able to find or verify that comment but it is the perfect comment to Israel/Bibi
While I dont disagree with anything you say it is my hope that the timing (or the response in general) is Israel's alone. I think they have bowed to outside forces before and that is one of the reasons they find themselves where they are today. This is their fight and if we are going to support them there should be no pressure to do what we want.
Yes, they have bowed to pressure before and as in the case of the settlements they have not, but I get your point and it is correct.
Currently, this is the situation IMO. The US has always been a supporter of Israel, and they have asked Israel to back down on a few occasions. In this fight we are delivering weapons and munitions to them. IF Biden has asked Israel to hold off I would understand it and Isreal will understand it as well. That is a big IF I have no information that says that this is happening but it is certainly within reason.
Now, Israel has to think that their biggest backer has asked them to hold off. At this point besides the hostage situation holding off on their terms until they complete all preparations seems to be the best military choice to save Israel lives and destroys Hamas to the best of their ability.
Israel can keep up it's blockade and bombardment, eventuality Hamas will find out they can't eat bullets and IEDs.
No electricity, water, food and supplies will weaken the enemy.
But some of that's getting in now, nobody's getting out but supplies are going in.
Kaiser Wilhelm VIII would rule Europe right now if "humanitarian aid" had been allowed to Germany during WW1.
Good analogy,
And if the Confederate States got humanitarian aid and a cease fire, we would have had a "two state" solution to the Civil War and the Great-Great Grandson of Jefferson Davis might be running things in Richmond.
Exactly, Grant didn’t totally besiege Vicksburg and Sherman didn’t March to the Sea.
Yep,.. sorry Israel it seems our president is intent on doing to your country what he's doing to us, hamstring y'all to the point that you're probably fucked.....
How is Biden hamstringing Israel?
The aid has been poring in:
US Sent 45 Cargo Planes Loaded With Weapons to Israel: Defense Ministry
.
Pentagon to send military advisers and air defense systems to Israel
You don't get it. Biden is an old feeble man, barely able to walk and talk that has destroyed the very fabric of what makes the USA 'Merican. At the same time he is also so strong he can single handedly stay the whole nation of Israel from touching a weapon and so smart as to hide his criminal activity from every Republican and every law enforcement agency in the world. /s
LMAO, a Superman in disguise.
If you have listened to some of Trump's speeches in the past month or so you will get a clear view of the onset of dementia. He believes that he is running against Obama among many other crazy statements.
Evidently some people think everyone is stupid
He is running against Obama's third term and hopefully not to be a fourth.
LMAO, I thought that he was running against FDR fifth term and not to be his sixth.
They can't make up their minds if he's too old and needs a drool cup OR he's a super power criminal mastermind.
You don't get how our government works?
Yeah, that’s gonna happen.
LOL. It was a Republican President who attacked and subjugated Iran’s mortal enemy Iraq. It was that President’s idiot provisional governor who fired all Baath party members in Iraq. This meant all gov’t employees down to the guys who fill the pot holes. More importantly, it meant the 400,000 man army. This created 400,000 armed, unemployed (disgruntled) people. Maybe Bremer should have run that plan by an average 8 year old and asked if the kid sees any problem possibilities. Many of those soldiers became the resistance who trained against our army for 10 years. They provided ISIS with a deep well of seasoned fighters and experienced commanders. Had we left Iraq alone, that army would be slaughtering Islamists and keeping Iran subdued. Now Iraq and and Iran are not only friends, but each other’s biggest trading partners.
Aside from losing 5,000 american lives, wounding tens of thousands, and wasting $2T. This stupidity made Iran a regional power.
So yeah, after the last Republican President got 500,000 of us killed unnecessarily with his epic mismanagement of the Pandemic, let’s see how badly the next Republican can fuck things up.
It happened at the end of WWII. Why are we so soft on Islamic extremists who have proved to be worse than the Nazis?
It was a Republican President who attacked and subjugated Iran’s mortal enemy Iraq.
Do you remember why that was?
It was that President’s idiot provisional governor who fired all Baath party members in Iraq. This meant all gov’t employees down to the guys who fill the pot holes. More importantly, it meant the 400,000 man army. This created 400,000 armed, unemployed (disgruntled) people. Maybe Bremer should have run that plan by an average 8 year old and asked if the kid sees any problem possibilities. Many of those soldiers became the resistance who trained against our army for 10 years. They provided ISIS with a deep well of seasoned fighters and experienced commanders. Had we left Iraq alone, that army would be slaughtering Islamists and keeping Iran subdued. Now Iraq and and Iran are not only friends, but each other’s biggest trading partners.
You cannot bring democracy to certain places. The middle east is a prime example. Today Iraq, Lebanon and Syria are failed states. They are simply badlands where various groups backed by Iran operate. Israel at least can deal with its neighbors except one: Iran. It was Barack Obama who used Iran to counter Israel in order to get concessions out of the regions only democracy. That must be the progressive idea of peace.
Aside from losing 5,000 american lives, wounding tens of thousands, and wasting $2T. This stupidity made Iran a regional power.
No, Obama did that.
So yeah, after the last Republican President got 500,000 of us killed unnecessarily with his epic mismanagement of the Pandemic, let’s see how badly the next Republican can fuck things up
Wrong again. The pandemic came from China and the former President did everything Dr Fauci recommended. We recently found out via the Walensky apology how little the medical experts knew about the pandemic. You are simply restating the media BS that helped get the great leftist elected.
Evidently some people think everyone is stupid.
Either you are ignorant of what the Iran deal did or you are simply in favor of it.
In his much-ballyhooed interview with Thomas Friedman of the New York Times, he stated: “Don’t judge me on whether this deal transforms Iran, ends Iran’s aggressive behavior toward some of its Arab neighbors or leads to détente between Shiites and Sunnis. Judge me on one thing: Does this deal prevent Iran from breaking out with a nuclear weapon for the next 10 years and is that a better outcome for America, Israel and our Arab allies than any other alternative on the table?”
In fact, we should judge President Obama and his treaty harshly on each of these points. By providing Iran with billions of dollars of immediate cash, this agreement will help Iran fund wars and terrorist attacks that could take thousands of lives. To offset this possibility, the President has indicated that he will try to bolster American assistance to the various countries that will be affected by Iranian aggression, but none of our allies can have much confidence in the leadership of a President who has made at best negligible progress in dealing with ISIS. His public vow to never put American ground forces in the Middle East turns out to be the only promise that he is determined to keep—for the benefit of our sworn enemies who have greater freedom of action given his iron clad guarantee. The objection to the President here is not that he has merely failed to curb Iranian mischief. It is that his clumsy deal will massively subsidize it.
Obama’s Disastrous Iran Deal | Hoover Institution Obama’s Disastrous Iran Deal
Israel has had 400 hundred strikes on Gaza and killed three deputy commanders of Hamas in the last 24 hours and are now offering thousands of dollars to Gazaians to turn over hostages.
This, IMO is the way to attack Gaza until they are sure that a ground attack will work.
Israel's ambassador to the United Nations, Gilad Erdan, is calling on U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres to resign, saying he's "completely disconnected from the reality in our region."
At the United Nations Security Council meeting, Gutteres delivered some of most forceful rhetoric on the Israel-Hamas war to date, demanding an immediate humanitarian ceasefire “to ease epic suffering, make the delivery of aid easier and safer and facilitate the release of hostages.”
The Secretary-General’s speech, especially his assertion that “the attacks by Hamas did not happen in a vacuum," sparked immediate backlash from Erdan.
"The shocking speech by the UN Secretary-General at the Security Council meeting, while rockets are being fired at all of Israel, proved conclusively, beyond any doubt, that the Secretary-General is completely disconnected from the reality in our region and that he views the massacre committed by Nazi Hamas terrorists in a distorted and immoral manner," Erdan said. "His statement that, 'The attacks by Hamas did not happen in a vacuum,' expressed an understanding for terrorism and murder."
"It’s truly sad that the head of an organization that arose after the Holocaust holds such horrible views," Erdan said.
Israel-Gaza live updates: 'I've been through hell,' released hostage says - ABC News (go.com)
"Terrorists learned how Israel deals with hostage takers during the famous raid on Entebbe in 1977."
O boy, cherry picking ...
In 2011, Gilad Shalit was exchanged for 1,027 Israeli-held security prisoners, 280 of these served life sentences for planning and perpetrating various terror attacks against Israeli targets.