Israel is currently blockading Gaza, starving the civilians and denying them medical care. So the US could send them some aid - just food, medicines, water purifiers and so on, nothing that could even be misinterpreted as a weapon - on an aircraft carrier. Distribute it directly to civilians. Oh, and while they’re there, arrest any Hamas fighter who tries to interfere, and turn them over to the Israeli courts. Help the people, humiliate the extremist leaders on both sides, and show voters in both countries that a peaceful solution is possible and desirable.
That is a concern, yes. I guess a more neutral military power - maybe France - might be better at doing this. But the question was what the US can do, and sending aid is probably more helpful than sending bullets.
France being the world police isn’t exactly better. Ask any number of Francophone countries. The issue of America being the world police is generally acknowledged to be that the idea of a single country being the arbiter of when force is legitimate is problematic at best.
But the question was what the US can do, and sending aid is probably more helpful than sending bullets.
At this junction, probably not. Any aid sent will either be intercepted by the Israelis (and thus destroyed), or used by Hamas for their own ends (and thus, at best, misappropriated).
The only thing that the US can and should do at this point is get out. Condemn Israel’s genocide, stop selling weapons, rescind all aid.
France being the world police isn’t exactly better.
True, but unlike the US they have an okay reputation among the Palestinians.
Any aid sent will either be intercepted by the Israelis (and thus destroyed), or used by Hamas for their own ends (and thus, at best, misappropriated).
Hence the ’ … on an aircraft carrier’. Neither Israel nor Hamas will mess with an actual superpower.
Israel is currently blockading Gaza, starving the civilians and denying them medical care. So the US could send them some aid - just food, medicines, water purifiers and so on, nothing that could even be misinterpreted as a weapon - on an aircraft carrier. Distribute it directly to civilians. Oh, and while they’re there, arrest any Hamas fighter who tries to interfere, and turn them over to the Israeli courts. Help the people, humiliate the extremist leaders on both sides, and show voters in both countries that a peaceful solution is possible and desirable.
Are we supposed to be the world police, or aren’t we? I can never keep up.
That is a concern, yes. I guess a more neutral military power - maybe France - might be better at doing this. But the question was what the US can do, and sending aid is probably more helpful than sending bullets.
France being the world police isn’t exactly better. Ask any number of Francophone countries. The issue of America being the world police is generally acknowledged to be that the idea of a single country being the arbiter of when force is legitimate is problematic at best.
At this junction, probably not. Any aid sent will either be intercepted by the Israelis (and thus destroyed), or used by Hamas for their own ends (and thus, at best, misappropriated).
The only thing that the US can and should do at this point is get out. Condemn Israel’s genocide, stop selling weapons, rescind all aid.
True, but unlike the US they have an okay reputation among the Palestinians.
Hence the ’ … on an aircraft carrier’. Neither Israel nor Hamas will mess with an actual superpower.