...And He's Not Even President Yet

The Impendingness of Trump Pushes Hamas to Release Hostages

Now, let’s admit it – Donald Trump tends toward the hyperbolic.

But in this case, he may have a point.

The new cease-fire agreement https://www.foxnews.com/world/israel-hamas-cease-fire-hostage-deal-reached just announced between Israel and Hamas is almost certainly a direct result of Hamas looking to next week and thinking “we better get some kind of deal ASAP or things for us – if you can imagine that – will get even worse.”

In his typical self-effacing style, Trump said this about the deal:

"This EPIC ceasefire agreement could have only happened as a result of our Historic Victory in November, as it signaled to the entire World that my Administration would seek Peace and negotiate deals to ensure the safety of all Americans, and our Allies,” Trump posted on his TRUTH social media service.

The capitalizations are in the original.

So, what does Hamas get? Sadly, it seems they get the right to continue to exist, even if in a very lessened form.

What does Israel get? An possible end to a draining war and, having beat Hamas into submission and taken Rafah (no more tunnels to Egypt) a large measure of future security.

Most importantly, what do the remaining hostage of Hamas get? To go home, though that seems it will take a bit longer than it should.

So who won the war in Gaza?

Well, obviously, Israel. Again, breathing space in Gaza and, just as importantly, the crippling damage it dealt out to Iran and Hezbollah (would you ever use your cell phone again if you were a terrorist?)

Syria? Well, we’ll see. With all of his extranational supporters trying not to killed by Israel – i.e., busy elsewhere - Bashir al Assad got goned very quickly. He was the world’s most evil ophthalmologist and is now living, one assume, comfortably but nervously in Russia. Considering the folks who overthrew him, it may not be great for Syria, but under Assad things we’re already really really bad.

Trump? Yup. Biden? Nope. Harris? Hell no.

College kids? Until they apply for a job, they should be fine, though I would recommend jumping on a less-genocidal bandwagon than Hamas the future.

Losers?

Hamas and, of course, everyone who lives in Gaza.

Iran? Not good.

Hezbollah? Again: do not touch that cell phone. It may say your mom is calling but it really really may not be.

While this may not be as impressive as when the Iranian hostages flew home the day Ronald Reagan was inaugurated, it still bears that type of hallmark, that sense that the United States is no longer the rudderless feckless pointlessness that it has been for the past four years.

And that’s a win for everyone.