In 2021, here at Breitbart News, I recalled the 1983 suicide truck bombing of a Marine barracks in Beirut, Lebanon, that killed 241 U.S. service members. The disaster quickly ended the U.S. mission in Lebanon aimed at “peacekeeping” in the war zone. If that doesn’t seem like a very good idea, that’s because it wasn’t. In response to the disaster, I wrote this: “Uncle Sam has learned, at least for a time, the dangers of a wrong mission in the Middle East.”
Indeed, it was a lesson learned “for a while.” only For a while. Because, as everyone remembers, in the early 2000s the U.S. new In this region, there were missions born by mistake, first in Afghanistan and then in Iraq. (The mission in Afghanistan was initially legitimate, but it lasted too long and became the wrong one. When it came to Iraq, it was definitely wrong from the beginning, and it was never going to get better. )
Rescue workers inspect the remains of a U.S. Marine barracks in Beirut, Lebanon, the day after the barracks was destroyed by a suicide truck bomber on October 24, 1983. (AP Photo/Zuki)
U.S. peacekeepers search the remains of a U.S. Marine barracks in Beirut on October 27, 1983. Searching for bodies and belongings of victims of truck bomb that destroyed US military headquarters in Lebanon. (AP Photo/Foley)
The Marine Corps Honor Guard and Band are shown with 16 coffins of U.S. Marines killed in the Beirut bombing while on duty at Dover Air Force Base on October 29, 1983. (AP photo)
So now President Joe Biden has announced: new The U.S. military’s mission in the Middle East — and this, too, has “born by mistake” written all over it. In his March 7th State of the Union address, Biden said: Said Uncle Sam will build a pier to deliver relief supplies to Gaza.
President Joe Biden delivers the State of the Union address at the U.S. Capitol on March 7, 2024 in Washington, DC. (Shawn Thew/EPA/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
The most obvious concern about the pier is that a situation like the Beirut barracks could happen again. So while American military personnel are working on building the wharf and managing the logistics of supplies, Hamas, Iranian operatives, and who knows what else are operating. looking for There is a good chance that they will become suspicious and target them with rifles, rockets, and drones.
Members of the Ezzedine al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of the Palestinian Hamas movement, participate in a parade in Gaza City on November 14, 2021. (Mahmoud Ham/AFP) (Photo by Mahmoud Ham/AFP, Getty Images) )
Israel promise Providing a “security bubble” for the pier project is a good thing, but the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) still struggles to defend it itself. Indeed, after nearly six months of fighting, Hamas remains in power. according to In the March 27th report of washington post, “The Israel Defense Forces say they have ‘disbanded’ 20 of Hamas’s original 24 battalions. Demolition does not mean destruction. Its remnants remain capable of mounting a deadly rebellion, as this week’s heavy fighting in the north has proven. ”
So America is trying to build a pier in the middle. this?
Israeli military tanks along the border with the Palestinian territories on March 19, 2024, as the conflict between Israel and the extremist group Hamas continues. (Jack Guess/AFP via Getty Images)
Biden sought to address the obvious concerns, vowing that “America’s boots will not be on the ground.” But is it really true? Is it really possible to manage large-scale construction projects without putting the American public at risk?
probably that teeth This is possible through a roundabout process. Report from Israel on March 19th Said It was revealed that the United States was planning to hire Al Hishi, a construction company based in Qatar. Qatar, a small but oil-rich country in the Persian Gulf, is well known for its shrewd dealings. For example, it operates the Al Jazeera network, which broadcasts news and propaganda around the world, and maintains diplomatic relations with the United States. and Iran. And yes, many of the Hamas leaders in Gaza actually live In Qatar. The Al Hishi company is little known, but an Israeli report describes it as “controlled and sponsored by Hamas.” Hmm.
What is interesting, however, is that nearly a month after Biden’s announcement that the pier would be built, nothing has been built in Gaza. In contrast, in 1944 the United States quickly built a portable port codenamed “Mulberry” Supporting amphibious landings on the beaches of Normandy. The first of these Mulberries went into service on June 18, D-Day +12. If we could move this quickly 80 years ago, we will be able to move even faster today, thanks to better technology. And importantly, when it comes to the speed at which things get done, Environmental impact statement Requirements in Gaza.
One of the banks in Mulberry, USA in 1944. It was then severely damaged by a severe storm in the English Channel. (AP photo)
However, it is possible that the Biden administration is not in a hurry to build the pier. After all, it is dangerous taking advantage of Americans; i doubt it Use Qataris. So why did the president announce it on March 7th? What has made things cloudy since then? JForgetfulness aside, the announcements at the pier may have been more attentive. statement than actual plan.
In making such remarks, Mr. Biden may have been more concerned about domestic politics than international issues.As you know, politics in Gaza has changed a lot. within the Democratic Party. Perhaps the problem is as simple as Biden’s determination to win Michigan’s 15 electoral votes — the Wolverine State is home to Rep. Rashida Tlaib, a firebrand Democrat from Detroit, and a parent. There are many Palestinian constituencies. more Not just Arab Americans.
Pro-Palestinian demonstrators march during President Joe Biden’s visit in Warren, Michigan on February 1, 2024. (AP Photo/Paul Sancia)
Gaza has relied on Israeli and Egyptian ports for supplies for decades. Having its own pier could therefore be an affirmation for Gaza, a symbol of its autonomy and even independence, whose costs were paid for by the Americans. (Strictly speaking, Hamas itself wants to establish an Islamic theocracy across the region, but in the short term it sees no value in having its own port, especially if it can accept cargo from Iran.) Practice-oriented enough to understand China and Russia.)
The promise to build a pier in Gaza is therefore valued as a push to the left of the Democratic Party, which hopes to establish a Palestinian state, perhaps alongside Israel, or perhaps even better. Instead of Israel. The Biden administration, on the other hand, was vaguely in between; go away From Israel. In fact, some say it’s now. actively hostile. Remarkably, Vice President Kamala Harris looks to her future within the increasingly left-leaning Democratic Party. staked out A more progressive line when it comes to the Middle East.
Of course, Gaza’s independence is not what Israel wants. The Jewish state believes that Gaza is not safe without some level of Israeli and international oversight of Gaza. You know, “Peacekeeping”.
Palestinians carry cement blocks to a pier that can be used to deliver humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip in Khan Yunis, March 13, 2024. (AP Photo/Fatima Shubeir)
Scenes of destruction in the coastal area of Rimal district after the withdrawal of Israeli forces in Gaza City, Gaza, February 20, 2024. (Omar Katta/Anadolu via Getty Images)
On the other hand, it is worth pointing out that the American public as a whole strongly supports it. Israel – March 27th Harvard University Harris Poll This figure could be 79%.
The Biden administration is therefore in a difficult position. That means building a pier as a sign to Gaza. However, he also does not want to antagonize the pro-Israel majority in the United States. In other words, do not have A pier is being constructed. Above all, they want to avoid a disaster like Beirut in 1983. Perhaps this problem could be solved by using Qatari contractors. other Any Arab organization, however, will face many questions from Congress and curious reporters, and only God knows what dangers lie ahead.
It is clear that the Biden camp is mired in a new kind of Middle East quagmire. So the best thing they think is to do the following: there is nothing. TSure, we talk a lot about piers, but don’t actually build them. With that goal in mind, a lengthy environmental impact statement may be “needed” after all. These tasks are time-consuming and can significantly delay construction projects.
