Comments on: Middle East pessimists versus Middle East optimists

By: miguel cervantes

miguel cervantes — Sat, 18 Oct 2025 19:51:56 +0000

the easy part was the exchange of hostages, the hardest part will be the disarming of Hamas, its a necessary thing, but with the gulf states follow through, because the leadership will not willingly get along, one is reminded of the notion that a multilateral force would take over Iraq, as a transition step, but nothing came of that

By: Occasional Commenter

Occasional Commenter — Sat, 18 Oct 2025 19:48:36 +0000

Israel ought to microchip the Hamas fighters before releasing them, like we do for cats and dogs. Easier to track and find.

Then, sometime down the road, “leak” the (incorrect) nugget that the microchips allow Israel to monitor conversations. They’ll take care of their own.

By: Ben David

Ben David — Sat, 18 Oct 2025 19:28:40 +0000

If Trump is a gullible fool – how would you describe the Euroweenies who recognized the fictitious state of Palestine?

After decades of Western capitulation to the Muslim world (and corruption by its money and oil) Trump is trying to re-establish the carrot and the stick, which are the only ways to externally manage dar-el-Islam.

The Abraham Accords are not pie in the sky – they are the carrot. They provide some tangible benefits to which the Muslims who do want reform can point.

The stick is defeat of Hamas.

I see no evidence that Trump is excusing violence or adopting victimhood politics in the middle east.

Instead he is clearly calibrating the rewards as Hamas and Qatar uphold their commitments.

By: Sennacherib

Sennacherib — Sat, 18 Oct 2025 17:25:49 +0000

Neo,
This is like an advertisement for your ” a mind is a difficult thing to change”

By: miguel cervantes

miguel cervantes — Sat, 18 Oct 2025 16:45:04 +0000

a day ending in y

https://x.com/AcrossTheBay/status/1979194389076336971

By: miguel cervantes

miguel cervantes — Sat, 18 Oct 2025 15:49:06 +0000

the hudna, that rob malley negotiated through wendy sherman, that was supposed to stave off the iranian nuclear program, was something in the neighborhood of 150 billion, I think the deal to the kim dynast was about 10 billion, but AQ Khans ready made kit obviated that program,

its best said that Hamas are the proxies of Qataris
most particularly the ruling tribes of the Al Thanis, and the Kuwaris, who are proximate to the throne, they serve a purpose as with the Taliban and Boko Haram, would they want this circumstance for the mselves, probably not, it is bayat

By: richf

richf — Sat, 18 Oct 2025 14:59:05 +0000

“…; the USA should give Iran $ 1 BILLION in cash ..”
Rudyard Kipling had a response to that :
“And that is called paying the Dane-geld;
But we’ve proved it again and again,
That if once you have paid him the Dane-geld
You never get rid of the Dane.”

By: Scott

Scott — Sat, 18 Oct 2025 14:47:22 +0000

@John Tyler – Pro Tip: don’t forget to turn off your sarc button when done typing.
I was pretty sure my regard for Tony Blinken could not sink any lower, but I was badly mistaken. That sniveling little t*rd is the ne plus ultra of what CS Lewis called “Men without chests”.

By: JohnTyler

JohnTyler — Sat, 18 Oct 2025 14:23:38 +0000

Here’s an idea; the USA should give Iran $ 1 BILLION in cash to have Iran put pressure on Hamas to disarm. That should convince Hamas to play nice.

I just do not understand why no one has yet suggested this.

Perhaps one of these foreign policy geniuses – John Kerry, Susan Rice, Jake Sullivan or Antony Blinken will speak up soon.
Best if Antony Blinken prepares some sort of document outlining why and how this should be done, and have all his good pals (that I have listed) sign it.

Since Trump greatly admires these foreign policy geniuses – whose list of accomplishments is just way, way too long to cite here – he would immediately move to send the cash to Iran.

Or maybe it would be better if Susan Rice prepares some short video ……..

By: neo

neo — Sat, 18 Oct 2025 01:05:08 +0000

huxley:

Agreed.