Now nobody can ignore reality

Disengagement from Gaza has permitted a war machine to be developed there that includes a standing army larger than Israel’s. It has unlimited funds and no need to work for a living. It is supported by the west.

The disengagement from the Sinai as part of a Peace Agreement with Egypt has resulted in a power vacuum in Sinai with limited Egyptian troops and American observers. A challenge from al Qaeda and The Muslim Brotherhood backed by the army Hamas has built was never contemplated.

DEBKA Reports

Restoring the border, Western military experts have told DEBKAfile, would require the deployment of 30,000 Egyptian troops to the El Arish area and divided Rafah Gaza border, backed by air force, navy and armored units.

Early Thursday, Jan. 24, American forces and equipment withdrew from the Multi-force Organization base at Al Gura northeast of al Arish when they learned from Egyptian contacts that Hamas had begun moving some of its elite units into the new stronghold. Washington and Cairo are discussing evacuating the entire base and its 400 multinational personnel, which monitors Sinai’s demilitarization under the Egypt-Israel peace treaty, for fear of Hamas and al Qaeda missile fire and shelling of the base.

Make no mistake about it. This is a calamity for US. Syria is going about its business retaking Lebanon, Iran is racing to build a nuclear bomb and now the US is skadadling out of Sinai. All this will undermine their recent Iraq success and will distance the “moderates” from them.

Mubarak is now faced with his greatest challenge ever to his regime. For that matter so is Muscharraf in Pakistan.

Only resolute action will stop this unravelling. The US and Israel must deal forcibly with this challenge. Gaza must be invaded and Hamas destroyed. Forget the collateral damage. War is war. All that matters is winning.