“Israel’s immediate Arab neighbors privately want it to succeed”

WSJ today in an article describing the latest debacle of ‘competency’ regarding our foreign policy, its authors and it’s implementation.

I am EMBARASSED

The Gaza Cease-Fire Fiasco

Kerry and Obama give both sides reason to keep fighting in Gaza

The question that routinely comes up regarding U.S. foreign policy these days is: What in the world were they thinking? The latest puzzlement is the weekend fiasco in which President Obama and John Kerry pressed a cease-fire that is likely to extend the war between Hamas and Israel.
As Israel’s ground incursion into Gaza enters its third week, the goal of America’s foremost ally in the region is clear. It must degrade Hamas as a military and political force to the greatest extent possible.
That means destroying the rockets the terror group hasn’t yet fired at Israel and especially collapsing the network of tunnels used for smuggling weapons and infiltrating into Israel. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu must be mindful of Palestinian civilian casualties and maintaining domestic and international support, but a victory requires achieving these strategic goals.
The irony is that Israel’s immediate Arab neighbors privately want it to succeed. Jordan wants no part of a Palestinian state run by Hamas, and neither do the Saudis or Egypt’s military government. The Fatah Palestinian faction that runs the West Bank also wants Hamas to emerge weaker. Surely the White House knows this.
Yet over the weekend Secretary of State Kerry blundered into the conflict promoting a cease-fire floated by Turkey and Qatar that was close to the terms demanded by Hamas. The U.S. hasn’t released the details, but Israel’s press has published what it says is a one-page summary. The document called on Israel to negotiate with “Palestinian factions,” meaning direct talks with Hamas, as well as an end to Israel’s military campaign while giving Hamas concessions on border crossings and outside payments. In short, it would have ended the war while leaving Hamas in a position to rebuild its terror economy.
Mr. Obama didn’t endorse the Kerry plan per se. But in a readout of his Sunday phone call to Mr. Netanyahu, the White House said in a statement that, “Building on Secretary Kerry’s efforts, the President made clear the strategic imperative of instituting an immediate, unconditional humanitarian ceasefire that ends hostilities now” and leads to a deal based on the cease-fire in November 2012. That’s the one that let Hamas rearm.
The reaction in Israel was opposition bordering on contempt. Ari Shavit, a center-left columnist for Haaretz, wrote that Mr. Kerry’s “decision to go hand in hand with Qatar and Turkey, and formulate a framework amazingly similar to the Hamas framework, was catastrophic. It put wind in the sails of Hamas’ political leader Khaled Meshal, allowed the Hamas extremists to overcome the Hamas moderates, and gave renewed life to the weakened regional alliance of the Muslim Brotherhood.”

He added that “the Obama administration proved once again that it is the best friend of its enemies, and the biggest enemy of its friends.” And you should hear what Israel’s hawks are saying. We’re told Mr. Kerry is upset about being criticized so publicly by an ally, but Israel is a free society and the U.S. doesn’t get to impose a gag order.

What other self inflicted horrors are we going to bring upon ourselves?
I used to JOKE that Israel would turn to Russia and swap SU-35 airframes 1 for 1 with avionics suited for Russki aircraft. Russia (and China) is/are amoral. They will do anything in their own interest, and Elbit or Rafale suites to go up against any enemy such as UKR, Japan, or the USA would obviously better their position.
Reading what has been said today, and listening to the KIND of TYPICAL ridiculous double-downspeak of the Obama administration makes me think some people in Tel Aviv are beginning to have the same kind of thought.

Above is the IAF of 1967, almost entirely French aircraft

Israel got along from birth until 1966 under a US arms embargo. It may not be as easy for them if they do so again as it is for them to conduct operations today ..but I have no doubt they can do it again, and the USA would be the loser.