Unsolvable Problems Require Unconventional Solutions
Donald Trump is never at a loss for innovative ideas and policy opinions, some promising, others questionable, but sometimes you need someone to speak out against the same old failed strategies in international diplomacy. Since the massacre of 10/7 most of the countries of the world have blamed the recipient, Israel for the attack while the UN has remained mostly silent in calling out the atrocities.
Joe Biden was sympathetic to the plight of the Israelis and visited Israel shortly after the start of the war to show support, something no other president has done in wartime and even said, “you don’t have to be Jewish to be a Zionist..” That support slowly eroded as the war dragged on and casualties mounted, caused by Hamas using the civilian population as human shields.
The pressure increased from western European countries against Israel and the U.S. to stop the war and give Hamas a free pass heavily influenced by the internal population of their individual countries. Eventually that influence affected the Biden administration to alter policy and consider withholding certain needed military hardware to prevent Israel from prosecuting the war in the strategic manner their military experts deemed crucial. This hesitation indirectly slowed down the ability to stop Hamas and free more hostages while prolonging the war.
Donald Trump likes to verbalize many diverse ideas that may sometime run counter to each other. Many times, you need to try something different that may be unconventional but needed when you are fighting against a terrorist organization committing unimaginable crimes. Trying to do something different when most think it is futile takes a unique personality to succeed. All we have to do is look at some of our European allies following the same pattern being too afraid to even call out terrorism.
The Trump administration is unconventional to say the least by using middle east peace negotiators from varied backgrounds such as legal and real estate industry negotiating experience rather than all career diplomats. Of course, international experts are still needed with knowledge of the area and the specific issues at play as a valuable resource. Career diplomats have been discussing the same issues about a two-state solution since the eighties with little success. Apparently, they have never heard of the definition of trying the same thing repeatedly and expecting a different result. Working with other neighbors like Saudi Arabia and Qatar who are not perfect partners, but it is still worth trying something new to encourage other middle east countries to get involved to eventually join the Abraham Accords and reap the benefits of trying to achieve a lasting peace in the region. More countries getting involved will encourage other nations to participate so they do not miss out on the economic and technological opportunities that may arise and be shared with their own populations. It can also create more support from the American population softening some of the current divisiveness in domestic issues.
I look forward to this nightmare ending with the hostages returning home, and the country and region beginning to heal’ so that Israelis can go to sleep at night without fear of being awakened in the middle of the night by sirens or waiting in anguish to hear from their loved ones serving in the military. The country could begin to return to a new normalcy.
