NewsNation’s Chief Washington Anchor Leland Vittert was a foreign correspondent for four years in Jerusalem. He provides expert analysis and insight into the Israel-Hamas war in the Oct. 23 edition of War Notes.
(NewsNation) — Breaking news: There’s a possible hostage release. This is undeniably great news. Hamas knows its audience.
First tonight: Hamas and Iran might get away with it. And that makes World War III more likely … not less.
The news in one line: Can President Joe Biden prevent World War III?
A good friend sent me this last night: “Iran threatening regional war if Israel goes into Gaza. Israel threatening attacks on Iran if Hezbollah attacks. Two US carriers in the eastern Med/Gulf and US troops placed on higher readiness for quick deployment. China sending 6 warships to the Middle East and, today, physically denying the Philippines from resupplying Second Thomas Shoal, ramming Phils resupply ships.”
I’ll add: Russia forward deployed its hypersonic missiles to the Mediterranean theater.
Monday thought: In the same way Hamas lulled Israel into a sense of complacency before its attack, Iran did the same thing on a grander scale to the United States.
Biden and his team can’t get ahead of the events rapidly spinning out of control in the Middle East. The push for Israel to delay its ground invasion, as predicted, is just another example of the administration being completely unprepared for the prospect of a regional war in the Middle East.
The Biden administration talks about moving the United States military assets to the Middle East. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin spoke of fears we aren’t ready for an attack by Iran on United States forces. Yet Biden and his team show little interest in restoring deterrence. We have yet to hear a single directed threat towards the Iranians (or their proxies), much less kinetic action that would show Tehran that the United States is serious. Say what you want about Trump, but when he tweeted he would hold Iran responsible for attacks by its proxies, the attacks stopped.
The longer this goes on, the longer this goes on. Iran wants to end American dominance of the Middle East and embarrass America with our allies. It is already working, and Iran will continue pushing.
What happened to “America is back”?
Rapper 50 Cent shared his thoughts on Instagram: “Biden hits the beach with Middle East, Congress in chaos.”
New York Times writer Thomas Friedman outlined the administration’s fear and talking points.
It’s a typical Friedman article: long on warnings and short on reality. Friedman enjoys the luxury of seeing the world as he wants it and never faces the consequences of being wrong. He, however, does not make an incredibly important point: “Israel would much better off framing any Gaza operation as ‘Operation Save Our Hostages’ — rather than ‘Operation End Hamas Once and for All’. Why Israel isn’t trying to rally support around outrage over the hostages is baffling.”
Speaking of Hamas, there are Americans that Hamas won’t let leave Gaza. They are keeping them as human shields, per Secretary of State Antony Blinken this weekend; those are also known as “hostages.” Yet all we hear about is pressure on Israel regarding war crimes and international law. Why is that?
For those actually concerned about the Palestinians: Fourteen aid trucks? Twenty aid trucks?
Are we supposed to think this is a big win for the millions suffering in Gaza? Do they each get a few walnuts? What will a few dozen trucks do other than get stolen by Hamas? Twenty-thousand aid trucks won’t fix the problem until Gaza is no longer ruled by Hamas. As we said Friday, there is something to consider regarding how Hamas operates. Hamas and Gaza are shot on fuel, food, electricity and medical supplies but not rockets, weapons and drones. This shows you what their priorities are.
Why does the White House keep acting like 20 aid trucks matter? It’s PR, pure and simple.
Perhaps Biden is feeling the heat as NBC reports some Muslim and Arab Americans may not back him over his “unwavering” support for Israel.
Does this explain his pains to create the moral equivalency between antisemitism and Islamophobia?
Will imans attend the funeral for the murdered synagogue president in Detroit the way rabbis did for the Muslim boy stabbed in Chicago? Has the president called her family? Will he include her in a prime-time address?
The marches around the world currently labeled as “pro-Palestinian” may be “pro-Palestinian,” but they are also anti-Israel and pro-Hamas.
Much in the same way that KKK marches could be described as “pro-white” or “white power,” there is another group on the other side, and thus KKK marches are “racist.”
Who are all these people demanding the eradication of Israel in America?
The Daily Caller has some internal Customs and Border Patrol documents that might explain some things, saying Hamas and Hezbollah could be crossing the border.
Why only after Hamas’ surprise attack on Israel are these people in the streets? If they cared about “Palestinians” and not destroying Israelis, shouldn’t they have been marching for years while Hamas pushed the Gaza Strip into squalor?
We are seeing a change in the liberal Jewish community in response to antisemitism from people they thought were “allies.” Progressives in America had serious support from liberal Jews, especially on liberal college campuses. The progressive embrace of pro-Hamas language is turning some of their most reliable supporters against them.
In other news we will be covering this evening on “On Balance with Leland Vittert”…
Governor Ron DeSantis thought Twitter was real life.
D.C.’s tough-on-crime proposal includes outlawing wearing a mask while committing a crime. If you are committing a crime to begin with, are you really concerned about the law against wearing a mask while doing it?
Shot: Why Bidenomics isn’t popular — chaser: From today’s White House schedule: “In the afternoon, the President will participate in an event highlighting how Bidenomics and his investing in America agenda are growing the economy from the middle out and bottom up in every region of the country. This event in the South Court Auditorium will be pooled for TV and open to pre-credentialed media.”
And breaking this thought down from a friend: Another way to look at the House Republican battle is that this is not “dysfunction” or a “clown car.” This is a very significant battle within the broader party that plays out in presidential elections and now in Congress. The post-World War II establishment ran the world generally peacefully, certainly prosperously and therefore broadly successfully for 75 years … but, as with all power structures, it became self-serving and exploitative over time. The Republican conference is now barbelled: 25 establishment spenders who vote with Democrats/special interest and 25 Freedom Caucus members elected to stop the spending. Both have a blocking position and are committed to their cause because that’s how they get reelected. Congressman Mike Kelly said something interesting here: “We have to vote to protect our families.” Was he talking about re-election, or the death threats members of the House have been getting?
Tune into “On Balance with Leland Vittert” weeknights at 7/6C on NewsNation. Find your channel here.
The views expressed in this article are those of the author and not of NewsNation.