First Associated Press release 7 October: Hamas militants fired thousands of rockets and sent dozens of fighters into Israeli towns near the Gaza Strip in an unprecedented surprise early morning attack during a major Jewish holiday killing dozens and stunning the country. Israel said it was now at war with Hamas and launched airstrikes in Gaza, vowing to inflict an “unprecedented price.”
It’ Saturday morning, first thoughts on what should happen this weekend.
FACTS BEARING ON THE ISSUE:
Israel cannot utilize all of the Israeli Defense Force, IDF against the invading Hamas militants because of the potential for Hizballah terrorists in Lebanon on the Israeli northern border to join the invasion and/or attacks from Syria bordering the Israeli Golon Heights.
This invasion is Iran’s doing. Hamas militants are Iran’s proxy fighters today. They are fighting with Iran-supplied arms and ammunition. They are destroying Israeli facilities and killing Israeli civilians with thousands of Iran-supplied rockets.
IDF TACTICS: Hamas forces reportedly occupy small towns near the Gaza/Israel border and have taken Israeli hostages. I would, in this order:
First, use all available IDF ground forces to stop the advancement of Hamas further into Israeli territory and collect as many POWs as possible.
Second, then attempt to get behind Hamas and reestablish control of the Gaza/Israel border. And send a message to the Hamas leadership that for every Israeli hostage released, Israel will return ten captured Hamas militants across the border into Gaza. Then, using “Israeli math”, inform Hamas that for every dead Israeli captive, Israel will send back a truck load of 100 Hamas militants killed in action.
President Netanyahu should immediately inform Hizballah in Lebanon that for every militant who crosses the northern border, Israeli air forces will send 10 air strikes against all suspect Hizballah forces and/or facilities. Also send the same message to Syrian leader, Bashar al-Assad.
AS SUPPOSED LEADER OF THE FREE WORLD, President Biden should spend the weekend in the Situation Room and immediately contact the leaders of the other four permanent UN Security Council members (China, Russia, France and the UK) and insist that the Council meet immediately to condemn the invasion. Russia and China will object and this will tell the world where they stand on the invasion. The remaining ten temporary Security Council members, (Albania, Brazil, Ecuador, Gabon, Ghana, Japan, Malta, Mozambique, Switzerland, United Arab Emirates) should be contacted and encouraged to vote for an immediate condemnation.
Also President Biden should call the President of the UN General Assembly, Dennis Frances, and insist on a General Assembly meeting over the weekend to do several things:
- Condemnation of the invasion.
- Approve a long list of immediate sanctions against Iran, the world’s leading sponsor of terrorism. For years Iran Ayatollahs have been publicly calling for “death to America and destruction of Israel.” It’s time for the UN to put on its big-boy pants and shut them down.
- Immediately impose a UN sanctioned embargo of oil exports from Iran. Iran exports of oil per day averages about 3.5 million barrels. Oil exports is what holds up their economy and allows them to move forward with support for world-wide terrorism as well as all the necessary ingredients to soon have a nuclear weapon. China imports over 11 million barrels per day to survive. In August 2023 China imported 1.5 million barrels per day from Iran. The oil embargo puts the squeeze on Iran and also gets China’s attention. The embargo could be enforced by a naval force from UN members.
The problem with the above is that it won’t happen for two reasons.
First of all, Biden is incapable of creating that kind of global influence.
Secondly, the UN as a functioning organization is essentially powerless. Nothing happens in the General Assemble unless it is passed in the Security Council. The rules in the security council provide that 9 of the 15 members must vote yes. But here is the kicker; if only one of the permanent members votes “no” the issue is dead. Bottom line, China and Russia are in almost total control. Interesting that under the UN Charter the function of the Security Council is to, “Ensure international peace and security.”
CONCLUSIONS:
This type of limited invasion always holds the potential for Middle East nations to pile on with potential devastating results. The U.S. could lose our longest and most loyal ally in the region.
Without UN action, Iran is on point to perpetuate havoc around the world.
The UN will probably do nothing.
BOTTOM LINE:
There is another path to world peace; no more Ukraine-like invasions. No more Israelis living in fear every day. No more bullies with nuclear weapons like North Korea and soon-to-be Iran. But it cannot happen under a Biden Administration; they are incapable. The Concept of Operations for a world peace plan is contained in a book, FIX THE SYSTEMS, TRANSFORM AMERICA.
Marvin L. Covault, Lt Gen US Army, retired, is the author of two books, Vision to Execution and Fix the Systems, Transform America as well as the author of a blog, WeThePeopleSpeaking.com.