I agree that Biden & company don't know what to do in the ME, but do you? Does anyone--other than Trump, who'll just cheer Israel on? This isn't 1956. Israel has the resources to keep on going in Gaza, doesn't it? If I'm right, I think the real question is why it hasn't, at least not yet. Does IDF leadership have second thoughts? Does anyone anywhere think the US will somehow punish Israel if another 10-15K civilians die in Gaza?
"Israel’s unilateral decision to treat the Iranian consulate as not, like, a real consulate seems to have been the big error."
In fairness to Israel, Iran were (allegedly) the first ones not to treat it as a real consulate by using it as a military base (not that Iran has ever had much track record of respecting consulates to begin with).
"And yet, this is a problem that is going to persist. Suzanne Maloney’s latest in Foreign Affairs makes it clear that Iran is going to be a growing and not ebbing problem:"
Well, it's clear if you assume that Suzanne Maloney is omniscient, but why would you do that? Her "analysis" is simply a string of ponderous assertions unbuttressed by anything as mundane as "evidence". It's easy to criticize Biden for having no Iranian policy, but he certainly did--a sort of anti-Iran league based on an agreement between Israel and the Saudis--before Hamas blew it up--thanks, largely, to Bibi Netanyahu's incompetence. Iran doesn't trust us, and there is no reason why they should, and it is politically impossible for any American president to attempt to gain Iran's confidence, thanks to the anti-Iran hatred baked into the American military intellectual complex. The U.S. has maintained Iran as Enemy No. 1 for decades, largely because foreign policy "experts" and the military want an enemy. We had diplomatic relations with the U.S.S.R. throughout the Cold War. We still don't have them with Iran--because the U.S. doesn't want to reach an agreement. The U.S. wants hostility or surrender, and the Iranians don't feel like surrendering.
"Biden urgently needs to articulate and then implement a clear strategy to protect Palestinian civilians" Biden has all the influence of a pro wrestling ref. He can wave his arms all he wants, but proof is in actions. The media plays along, but anyone with a heart isn't fooled.
It's my cynical opinion that Bibi attacked the embassy to change to the global conversation from Gaza to preventing an Iran/Israel war.
The NYT is treating this as a miscalculation.
https://www.nytimes.com/2024/04/17/world/middleeast/iran-israel-attack.html
This is a classic case of giving Bibi the benefit of incompetence as opposed to malevolence
In other words, judging a causa belli as an oppsie.
I agree that Biden & company don't know what to do in the ME, but do you? Does anyone--other than Trump, who'll just cheer Israel on? This isn't 1956. Israel has the resources to keep on going in Gaza, doesn't it? If I'm right, I think the real question is why it hasn't, at least not yet. Does IDF leadership have second thoughts? Does anyone anywhere think the US will somehow punish Israel if another 10-15K civilians die in Gaza?
"Israel’s unilateral decision to treat the Iranian consulate as not, like, a real consulate seems to have been the big error."
In fairness to Israel, Iran were (allegedly) the first ones not to treat it as a real consulate by using it as a military base (not that Iran has ever had much track record of respecting consulates to begin with).
"And yet, this is a problem that is going to persist. Suzanne Maloney’s latest in Foreign Affairs makes it clear that Iran is going to be a growing and not ebbing problem:"
Well, it's clear if you assume that Suzanne Maloney is omniscient, but why would you do that? Her "analysis" is simply a string of ponderous assertions unbuttressed by anything as mundane as "evidence". It's easy to criticize Biden for having no Iranian policy, but he certainly did--a sort of anti-Iran league based on an agreement between Israel and the Saudis--before Hamas blew it up--thanks, largely, to Bibi Netanyahu's incompetence. Iran doesn't trust us, and there is no reason why they should, and it is politically impossible for any American president to attempt to gain Iran's confidence, thanks to the anti-Iran hatred baked into the American military intellectual complex. The U.S. has maintained Iran as Enemy No. 1 for decades, largely because foreign policy "experts" and the military want an enemy. We had diplomatic relations with the U.S.S.R. throughout the Cold War. We still don't have them with Iran--because the U.S. doesn't want to reach an agreement. The U.S. wants hostility or surrender, and the Iranians don't feel like surrendering.
"Biden urgently needs to articulate and then implement a clear strategy to protect Palestinian civilians" Biden has all the influence of a pro wrestling ref. He can wave his arms all he wants, but proof is in actions. The media plays along, but anyone with a heart isn't fooled.