deddog said:
YouBet said:
Of note, I just got off a client call where former Joint Chiefs of Staff Joseph Dunford and former Head of MI6 Alex Younger both are of the opinion that Israel is not going to invade Gaza as they say they are. Global PR, long-term relations, and the catastrophic outcome to their own military will keep them from doing it.
What you will see is continued precision attacks against Hamas leadership while they figure out a diplomatic solution to sideline Hamas.
I agree with them at this point.
I understand this is expert opinion, but I just don't see that happening. Not going into Gaza is going to project weakness in a part of the world, where Might is Right. There isn't a diplomatic solution where Israel doesn't come out looking like the weak, losing party.
I suspect they don't see a permanent military solution either. The only exception would be to kill every Muslim within 500 miles and despite the inevitable "Do it!" replies here that's not going to happen. More headhunting strikes, hostage negotiations, and assassination teams is what I'd expect.
I tried to not get into any direct arguments and I know I'm not alone, but the "Israel doesn't care what anybody thinks, they're going to wreck shop and dare the rest of the middle east to stop them" crowd is not living in the real world.
I still don't think it's impossible that they'll invade, and the whole context could change at any moment depending on events, but I've always thought a rapid de-escalation was the most likely outcome.