Today In Issues:
FDD Research & Analysis
The Must-Reads
Weapons flood Israel’s West Bank, fueling fears of new war front Pentagon set to transfer army’s two Iron Dome units to Israel New York Sun Editorial: The United Nations’ betrayal of Israel NYT’s Bret Stephens: The Palestinian Republic of fear and misinformation Iranian-backed militias mount new wave of attacks as U.S. supports Israel WSJ Editorial: Biden’s red-line moment with Iran AEI’s Michael Rubin: What happens if Israel strikes Iran? Commentary Magazine’s Eli Lake: Qatar’s war for young American minds Jewish Policy People Institute’s Yaakov Katz: Qatar needs to expel Hamas leaders and if not, America should do it for them Biden, Saudi crown prince discuss Israel-Hamas war diplomacy 24 U.S. troops injured in attacks since Gaza war began, officials say Man arrested in Germany on suspicion of planning to ram pro-Israel event with truckIn The News
Israel
Long before Hamas militants burst out of their Gaza stronghold to massacre scores of civilians with handguns and assault rifles, Iran and its allies had accelerated efforts to smuggle weapons into a different part of the Palestinian territories, the West Bank. – Wall Street Journal
The largest provider of humanitarian support in the Gaza Strip said it would be forced to cease operations in the enclave by Wednesday night if it doesn’t receive fuel, putting desperately needed aid for the strip at risk amid intensifying Israeli airstrikes. – Wall Street Journal
White House aides are preparing to propose spending roughly $50 billion on urgent domestic needs, two people familiar with the matter said, just days after President Biden unveiled a roughly $100 billion request for crises in Ukraine, Israel and other international priorities. – Washington Post
French President Emmanuel Macron proposed Tuesday that the existing international coalition battling the remnants of the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria could be widened to include the fight against Hamas. – Washington Post
U.S. intelligence officials said Tuesday they have determined with “high confidence” that Israel was not responsible for the huge explosion at al-Ahli Hospital in Gaza City that killed scores of people last week, offering the most detailed explanation to date of an apparent accident that sparked protests throughout the Middle East after some initial reports attributed responsibility to Israel. – Washington Post
Released Israeli hostage Yocheved Lifshitz described on Tuesday the “unimaginable hell” of her kidnapping ordeal that included being thrown over the back of a motorcycle, beaten with sticks and held in a “spiderweb” of wet tunnels after she was abducted from a kibbutz in southern Israel. – Washington Post
The Washington Post, like other news organizations, the United Nations and other international institutions, cannot independently verify death tolls in the war between Israel and Hamas. News reports cite figures released by the Gaza Health Ministry — an agency of the Hamas-controlled government. – Washington Post
As the Israeli Army gathers tanks at the Gaza border for a threatened invasion aimed at crushing Hamas, experts are warning that the country’s troops could face some of the fiercest street-to-street combat since World War II in Gaza City and other densely packed areas. – New York Times
The United States on Tuesday rejected growing calls to support a cease-fire in the war between Israel and Hamas because such a move would only benefit Hamas, a White House spokesman said. – New York Times
If a diplomatic solution is possible, there was little sign of it Tuesday at the United Nations, where diplomats spent the day issuing futile pleas for a ceasefire and bitter denunciations. – New York Times
Israel’s military dropped leaflets in Gaza on Tuesday, urging Palestinians to give them information about hostages being held by Hamas and offering them protection and a reward. – Reuters
Israeli forces on an overnight raid in the occupied West Bank came under fire by a group of Palestinians whom the military then hit with a drone, the Israeli military said on Wednesday, and Palestinian officials said three people were killed. – Reuters
The Pentagon is sending Israel the US Army’s two batteries of Iron Dome radar, command posts and interceptors to boost the nation’s air defense. – Bloomberg
Israeli naval forces attacked Hamas divers attempting to enter one of its evacuated southern communities by sea on Tuesday, the army spokesman’s office said. – Bloomberg
President Biden’s nominee for United States ambassador to Israel, Jacob Lew, will receive expedited consideration by the Senate in the coming days as the Jewish state faces an existential threat from terrorism. Despite the threat, Republicans are insistent that Mr. Lew’s involvement in the 2015 Iran nuclear deal should disqualify him from getting the job. – New York Sun
Editorial: This record underscores the difficulties of reforming the United Nations. The effort would be blocked and parried at every turn by Communist China and Russia, each of which, along with America, Britain, and France, has a Security Council veto. America, too, would have to look to a Congress that has been blindly funding the UN for decades. Skip reform, we say. Israel would be smart to decamp — and America with it, the sooner the better. – New York Sun
Editorial: Hamas will never try to govern responsibly. It is trying to maximize the deaths of its own citizens, not just of Israelis. That is why Israel cannot stop fighting until Hamas is defeated. The best thing for Palestinians would be for Israel to achieve complete victory over Hamas as swiftly as possible. – Washington Examiner
Editorial: We must actively and resolutely oppose Hamas’s manipulative tactics. This involves closely monitoring shifts in its rhetoric and efforts to alter its image through regional channels in Doha or Ankara. It is essential that Israel and its allies sustain pressure on Hamas in this complex conflict, which also revolves around narratives, media, and global attention. Prioritizing the confrontation of Hamas in the realm of public opinion and addressing its manipulation regarding the hostages is not just a choice, but a moral obligation. – Jerusalem Post
Bret Stephens writes: The next time there’s a story about an alleged Israeli atrocity in Gaza, readers deserve to know how the information was acquired and from whom. It’s bad enough that Hamas tyrannizes Palestinians and terrorizes Israelis. We don’t need it misinforming the rest of us. – New York Times
Conrad Black writes: This remains a great opportunity for Israel to deal a mortal blow to its deadliest enemies while rubbing the noses of the Iranian ayatollahs, not just in their barbarism and hypocrisy, but in the impotence of their attempt to inflict their genocidal ambitions on the Jews. – New York Sun
Zachary Fariah writes: “Islamophobia” is not the focal point after terrorists massacred Jewish civilians. The Palestinian civilians who are suffering from the war are suffering because Hamas uses them as props and human shields. Any insistence that this conflict is Israel’s fault or that Biden should focus less on the dead Jewish civilians and more on “Islamophobia” is terrorist apologia. So why do Democratic Muslim activists insist on tying Muslim voters to those views? – Washington Examiner
Elisabeth Braw writes: But although Hezbollah may not be frightened by Netanyahu’s words about unimaginable military strikes, shipping lines and their insurers certainly are. Though they’re fiercely nonpolitical, their services are indispensable to shipping-dependent Israel. And if they conclude it’s too risky to call Israeli ports, the country could soon find itself running out of food. – Foreign Policy
Iran
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken warned Tuesday that Washington would react “swiftly and decisively” if Iran or its proxy forces attack U.S. personnel after Tehran raised the risk of a larger Middle East conflict in recent days by unleashing the regional militias it has spent years arming. – Wall Street Journal
Can America deter Iran — and the groups it arms and trains — from carrying out attacks on Israel that risk turning that U.S. ally’s war on Hamas into a regional conflagration? That’s one of the more vexing questions President Biden faces amid mounting Middle East anger at suffering in Gaza. – Washington Post
The United States told the United Nations on Tuesday it does not seek conflict with Iran, but Secretary of State Antony Blinken warned that Washington would act swiftly and decisively if Iran or its proxies attacks U.S. personnel anywhere. – Reuters
The White House said Tuesday that “prudent contingency planning” is underway to evacuate Americans from the Middle East in case the Israel-Hamas war spreads into a broad regional conflict. – Associated Press
Iran’s president on Tuesday expressed regret at a “lack of unity” among Muslim countries in response to the war between its arch-foe Israel and Gaza’s rulers Hamas. – Times of Israel
Editorial: Iran is using its proxies to test U.S. resolve. The more they attack without Iran paying a price, the more likely that Iran will raise the stakes. The paradox Mr. Biden has to appreciate: The most stabilizing move for the region would be restoring America as a deterrent power. – Wall Street Journal
Hugh Hewitt writes: Unless we first recognize the barbarity, the depth of the depravity coursing through these three linked regimes, we cannot possible defeat it. Can a post-Christian West, tied in knots by “social issues,” rally to its own defense? – Washington Post
David Ignatius writes: Given these enormous stakes, the final big idea for Israel is obviously to be careful. Hamas set a trap when it burst through the Gaza fence, butchering Israelis and seizing hostages. As Israel fights back, it must avoid becoming entangled in that snare in a way that leaves it weaker, even as it destroys its enemies. – Washington Post
Eric Mandel writes: If Iran is diminished, her allies will be chastened, and the region might become more stable. If this scenario unfolds, American national security will be strengthened, and the likelihood of another round of violence in the region will be reduced for years. That is all one can hope for in the Middle East: a strong Israel a respected America, and both coinciding with Saudi interests. – The Hill
Erfan Fard writes: The Tehran regime plays a significant role in perpetuating and extending warfare, acting as a source of turmoil and Islamic terrorism, so that the terrorist-loving mullahs are the source of mayhem and instability. A bunch of criminal mullahs are ruling the civilized nation. – Jerusalem Post
Zvi Bar’el writes: These are serious considerations that pertain not only to the survival of Lebanon or Hezbollah but also to Iran’s ability to function, having thus far managed to bypass some sanctions and avoid threatening the country’s stability. When the question of intervention in a war against Israel for the sake of Gaza is weighed against an international threat that could bring back the problems seen before the nuclear agreement, it seems that Gaza will have to fight alone. – Haaretz
Michael Rubin writes: Iran is primed for regime change, but that change cannot be enforced down the barrel of a gun. It will be an indigenous movement led by Iranians for Iranians. There will be little to no role for Iranians outside the country. If Israel feels forced to act by Iran’s growing aggression, it should remember that those who suffer the most from the Islamic Republic’s terror infrastructure are Iranians themselves. – 19FortyFive
Michael Young writes: The Americans surely want to avoid another Middle Eastern war in the run-up to the presidential election next year. President Joe Biden’s visit to Israel was partly an effort to hold back the Israelis. […]Hamas’s release of two American hostages and two Israelis seems to indicate that a broader arrangement may be in the works. But the real message of the past two weeks is that Iran has an extensive network in place to back up its challenge to U.S. priorities in the Middle East. – The Atlantic
Russia & Ukraine
Away from the public eye and the bloody front line, Ukraine and Russia are still talking. The countries, now sworn enemies fighting a grinding war, are managing to negotiate on a few core humanitarian issues: exchanging prisoners of war and dead soldiers’ bodies; the passage of ships from Ukraine’s Black Sea ports; and, most recently, the return of Ukrainian children from Russia. – Washington Post
Russia’s economy has adapted well to years of Western sanctions and so it does not fear the prospect of more such measures, the Kremlin said on Tuesday. – Reuters
Russia scrambled fighter jets to intercept two U.S. bombers and a drone which approached Russia’s northern and southern borders on Tuesday, the Russian Defence Ministry reported. – Reuters
Russia has issued carefully calibrated criticism of both sides in the war between Israel and Hamas. But the conflict also is giving Moscow bold new opportunities — to advance its role as a global power broker and challenge Western efforts to isolate it over Ukraine. – Associated Press
Lee Hockstader writes: U.S. aid for Kyiv is not about making Ukrainians or Europeans happy. It’s about maintaining the United States’ standing in the world. But as that argument loses traction with some Americans, the question for Europe becomes how to keep Ukraine alive. The answer remains murky — and time is on Putin’s side. – Washington Post
Joseph Bosco writes: Several commentators have noted that the horrific recent events have created a moment of “moral clarity.” It should also be seen as a time of strategic clarity. Ukraine must be whole, free and independent of Russian pressure and interference. Israel and the Palestinian people must be free of Hamas and the corrosive influence of Iran, living side by side as separate, peaceful and independent states. Taiwan must be secure from the threats of Communist China — either Beijing must unequivocally renounce the use of force or Washington must unambiguously state it will defend Taiwan. – The Hill
Hezbollah
The head of Lebanon’s Hezbollah met with top leaders of the Palestinian militant factions Hamas and Islamic Jihad, according to a report by Hezbollah’s al-Manar TV, saying they had assessed what their alliance must do to “achieve a real victory for the resistance” in Gaza. – Reuters
The Israel Defense Forces said Tuesday it had foiled several plans by Hezbollah terrorists to carry out attacks against Israel from southern Lebanon, as skirmishes continued on the northern border amid fears a new front could be opened as the military continues its war with Hamas terrorists in the Gaza Strip in the south. – Times of Israel
On October 24, Alwiyat al-Waad al-Haq (AWH), a facade group with unique ties to the Iran-backed Iraqi militia Kataib Hezbollah (KH), issued new threats against U.S. targets in the Gulf region amid the ongoing Hamas-Israel crisis in Gaza. – Washington Institute
Syria
Israel’s military said its jets struck Syrian army infrastructure and mortar launchers early on Wednesday in what it described as a response to rocket launches from Syria toward Israel. – Reuters
An Israeli attack on military positions in southwest Syria on Wednesday killed eight soldiers and wounded seven more, the Syrian state news agency (SANA) reported. – Reuters
The head of the U.N. Commission of Inquiry on Syria said Tuesday that fighting in the country has reached its worst point in years, with devastating consequences for civilians. – Associated Press
Arabian Peninsula
Qatari mediators are urging Hamas to quicken the pace of hostage releases to include women and children held in Gaza and to do so without expecting Israeli concessions, according to three diplomats and a source in the region familiar with the talks, as Israel readies a ground assault on the enclave. – Reuters
Qatar’s ruling emir on Tuesday urged the international community not to grant Israel “unrestricted authorisation to kill” Palestinians in its fight against Hamas, in what he called a dangerous escalation that threatens global security. – Reuters
Alwiyat al-Waad al-Haq, an Iran-backed militia believed to be linked to the Iraqi Kataib Hezbollah militia, threatened to target bases where American forces are housed in Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates in response to the Israel-Hamas war on Tuesday evening. – Jerusalem Post
Herb Keinon writes: For years, the Qataris perfected the art of appearing civilized, modern, and forward-looking through strategic investments in think tanks, universities, sports teams, and public relations firms while backing the most vile, vicious, antisemitic terrorist organization on the planet. The question is, for how long? What will it take for the West to ostracize Qatar for its support – moral, in the media through Al Jazeera, and materially – of jihadi terrorism. – Jerusalem Post
Eli Lake writes: “The question—as I see it—is how do we respond in a way that preserves our free and open society—including our higher education system with all its natural strengths—while maintaining our moral, intellectual, and financial integrity?” Gallagher asked. His question applies not only to China. It should also be asked of the universities that have partnered with a country that protects the leaders of Hamas and makes deals with Iran. – The Free Press
Simon Henderson writes: Yet Washington can certainly make Doha more aware of how deeply disgusted the White House and most Americans are about the group’s horrific terrorist attacks against Israeli civilians. Doha views the United States as its most important ally, and its previous deafness to U.S. concerns was most evident during the reign of former emir Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani. […]Emir Tamim now faces his toughest test—disassociating Doha from Hamas. Otherwise, he faces the prospect of significant downgrades to his country’s most crucial bilateral relationship. – Washington Institute
Jay Solomon writes: Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi army is emerging as a unique threat to Israeli and American interests — despite being nearly 1,400 miles away from the Israel-Hamas war — as Tehran rallies its allies behind a broader Middle East conflict. – Semafor
Yaakov Katz writes: Hamas is a violent, murderous group that needs to be stopped – the gunmen who broke into Israeli homes, as well as leaders like Haniyeh who thinks he can terrorize civilians from the safety of his home in Doha. If we learned anything from Oct. 7, it is that the difference between good and evil needs to be clear and that Hamas needs to be defeated. Qatar needs to decide whose side it is on. – Fox News
Saudi Arabia
The titans of Wall Street chatted under crystal chandeliers. With the Israel-Hamas war intensifying 900 miles away, the gathering made for an awkward split screen. The world’s business elite had come together for the Future Investment Initiative—nicknamed “Davos in the Desert”—where topics of discussion included artificial intelligence, futuristic planned cities and the growing perils of higher interest rates and rising debt loads. – Wall Street Journal
U.S. President Joe Biden and Saudi Arabian Crown Prince Mohamed bin Salman on Tuesday discussed efforts to prevent the Israel-Hamas conflict from widening, the White House said. – Reuters
US President Joe Biden and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman agreed to eventually “build on” the US-brokered negotiations that had been underway to normalize ties between Israel and Saudi Arabia before the outbreak of the Gaza war, the White House said after the two leaders spoke on Tuesday. – Times of Israel
Middle East & North Africa
At least 24 U.S. troops were hurt amid a wave of attacks on their bases in Iraq and Syria over the past week, including one incident that caused injuries to 20 personnel, officials said Tuesday. – Washington Post
The U.S. military is taking new steps to protect its troops in the Middle East as concerns mount about attacks by Iran-backed groups, and it is leaving open the possibility of evacuations of military families if needed, officials tell Reuters. – Reuters
Lebanon’s caretaker prime minister Tuesday visited troops deployed near the border with Israel and U.N. peacekeepers, as Saudi Arabia evacuated the families of diplomatic staff because of ongoing clashes between Hezbollah militants and Israeli troops. – Associated Press
The prospect of Israeli forces launching an assault into Gaza’s dense urban neighborhoods, where militants use civilians as human shields, brings back searing memories of the deadly battles the U.S.-led coalition fought against the Islamic State group in Iraq and Syria. – Associated Press
Washington aims to build an international coalition to target the financing of the Hamas terror group, a top US Treasury official said Tuesday, as war rages on in the Middle East. – Agence France-Presse
Australia said on Wednesday it had deployed two more military aircraft and a “significant number” of defense personnel to the Middle East to help support its citizens there if the ongoing war between Israel and the terrorist group Hamas escalates. – Reuters
Howard Eissenstat writes: The gap between the United States and Turkey on this is immense. Despite the clear interest in both Washington and Ankara for improvement, the current situation is bleak. It is likely that the crisis will only deepen the mistrust between the two on strictly bilateral issues. The unhappy marriage between the United States and Turkey may not be heading for divorce quite yet, but no improvement is likely in the short or medium term either. – Middle East Institute
Joe Buccino writes: However this current crisis ends, the U.S. must ensure that while we look to the Indo-Pacific, we remain steadfast in our commitment to stability and peace in the Middle East. The U.S. simply cannot deter Iran and its proxy forces without American power permanently in the Middle East. – The Hill
Ghaith al-Omari and David Schenker write: Still, if Washington is committed to the objectives of both supporting Israel in its campaign to degrade, if not eradicate, Hamas and at the same time providing critical humanitarian support to Palestinian civilians, the US will need to coordinate with its Arab allies. For reasons of geography, history and diplomatic heft, Egypt is the linchpin. – Washington Institute
China
China has launched its first nuclear-powered guided missile submarines, according to the Pentagon’s latest report on China’s military – giving it land and sea attack options once the sole province of U.S. and Russian vessels. – Reuters
China’s defence ministry on Wednesday denounced the U.S. Defense Department’s annual report on China, saying it distorts the country’s security policy and military strategy. – Reuters
Chinese President Xi Jinping said on Wednesday that China is willing to cooperate with the United States as both sides manage their differences and work together to respond to global challenges, according to Chinese state media. – Reuters
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken told the UN Security Council on Tuesday that he will work with China’s top diplomat, Wang Yi, to prevent the conflict in the Middle East from spreading when they meet later this week. – Reuters
The European Union has told the Biden administration it’s concerned that US restrictions on outbound investments aimed at China could hit companies in the bloc, adding yet another trade irritant to transatlantic ties. – Bloomberg
Asia
Five months ago, President Biden canceled a trip to Australia because the United States was on the brink of defaulting on its debt, and it seemed like a bad time to be out of town. Then he extended an invitation to Anthony Albanese, the prime minister of Australia, for a state visit in Washington — a redo of sorts, when things would be calmer. – New York Times
A dispute between China and the Philippines, a U.S. ally, is rapidly escalating over an unusual military outpost: a World War-II era ship that is leaky, riddled with holes, covered in rust and sitting atop a reef in the South China Sea. – Wall Street Journal
The Philippines will boost multilateral activities including freedom of navigation patrols in the South China Sea, its defence minister said on Wednesday, expressing hope that more countries would “join our fight” after an altercation with China this week. – Reuters
Canada and Taiwan have completed talks on a bilateral deal to boost foreign investment and will work to make sure it takes effect promptly, Canadian Trade Minister Mary Ng and Taiwan’s government said on Tuesday. – Reuters
Wilson Beaver and Cooper Moore write: The AS(X)-class submarine tender program is not just a future part of the U.S. Navy; it is a linchpin in the security and stability of the Pacific region. These tenders are the unsung heroes of the Navy’s strategy in the Indo-Pacific, safeguarding American interests and regional stability. – Washington Examiner
Michael Rubin writes: In effect, Biden shows a double standard: He rewards terrorists and turns his back on its victims. As a result, one of the world’s oldest indigenous communities was destroyed. Rather than get meaningful assistance, all they got was a letter promising his “strong support” amid Armenian “mourning” and a brief photo-op by Samantha Power, the USAID administrator who now will channel tens of millions of dollars to Hamas. Christians, proponents of democracy, and victims of terrorism should be outraged. – Washington Examiner
Bruce W. Bennett writes: South Korea and the United States should rein in North Korean nuclear weapon production and prepare to respond to escalated North Korean coercion. While Kim probably won’t resort to a Hamas-style attack, he certainly shares Hamas’ goal of cultivating U.S. reluctance to get involved militarily in the region. By preventing North Korea from enhancing its nuclear shadow, South Korea and the United States will hopefully deter potential North Korean escalation. – The National Interest
Europe
Finland said that a Chinese ship’s anchor had likely caused a mysterious rupture of an undersea gas pipeline in the Baltic Sea earlier this month that raised concerns about the vulnerability of European infrastructure to sabotage amid mounting tension between Russia and the West. – Wall Street Journal
The Hungarian parliament on Tuesday refused a proposal to hold a vote on Sweden’s bid to join NATO, further delaying the Nordic country’s inclusion in the military alliance. – Associated Press
The military divers from Belgium, Germany, Hungary and Lithuania were participating in an international training exercise in Budapest to prepare them for a variety of scenarios: recovery operations after a boat accident, rescues during a catastrophic flood, or the removal of unexploded underwater ordnance following an armed conflict. – Associated Press
Police in the western German city of Essen said Tuesday that they had arrested a man after receiving “indications of a possible attack scenario.” – Agence France-Presse
A Paris judge has charged two men suspected of links with the Islamist gunman who killed two Swedish soccer fans in Brussels this month, French anti-terror prosecutors told AFP on Tuesday. – Agence France-Presse
The Americas
A Kenyan court extended on Tuesday a temporary order barring the government from deploying hundreds of police officers to Haiti in a U.N.-approved mission aimed at helping the Caribbean nation tackle gang violence, a lawyer who filed the case said. – Reuters
The presidents of Costa Rica and Honduras agreed on Tuesday to reverse short-lived visa requirements for travelers from their respective countries, following talks over the past two weeks to resolve a dispute that had disrupted Central American trade. – Reuters
Erik Suarez writes: In the end, AOC’s words are just an excuse for the failed border policies she has supported in the last few years that have been terrible for her constituents in New York City. Instead of taking responsibility for her failures, she opted to promote her socialist agenda and shift the blame. Her proposals are irresponsible. If her views are allowed to shape U.S. foreign policy towards Venezuela, it will damage the livelihoods of millions and strengthen a hostile regime. – The National Interest
United States
To them, Biden’s handling of the violence in Israel and Gaza has been unacceptable. As the White House advocates for sending $14 billion in aid to Israel, Cox and his like-minded friends commiserate in a group text about their shared belief that, as Cox said in an interview, “we should stop sending money and bombs to other countries while we can’t fix the water crisis in Flint, [Mich.,] or feed our homeless.” – Washington Post
White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre misheard a question about concern over the rise in antisemitism amid the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas during a press briefing, she told POLITICO on Tuesday. – Politico
Florida’s university system chancellor, responding to a push by Gov. Ron DeSantis, directed state universities Tuesday to disband campus groups with ties to the national Students for Justice in Palestine organization, marking the first punishments handed down to colleges here amid the Israel-Hamas war. – Politico
Keir A. Lieber and Daryl G. Press write: The United States must take the growing threat of coercive nuclear escalation seriously. After the Cold War, the United States became more ambitious in its foreign policy objectives. […]But such objectives are opposed by nuclear-armed adversaries in China, North Korea, Russia, and perhaps soon in Iran. U.S. policymakers would be wise to not discount the potential power of their enemies. And if they need to be reminded of what their foes may be able to do, they need turn only to their own history. – Foreign Affairs
Mike Penn writes: We need nothing short of a reformation at our universities from the next group of university presidents — restoration of diversity of viewpoint among faculty, renewed respect for free expression, an enhanced appreciation for the American experiment, and an understanding of the travails of the Jewish people. This lost generation can be reclaimed. – The Messenger
Cybersecurity
Sen. Rand Paul, a top critic of the federal government’s cybersecurity watchdog, says the agency is overstepping its authority by trying to regulate the flow of information online. – Defense News
Roughly 11 days after Hamas launched a murderous attack on Israel, a message posted to a newly created Telegram channel claimed that the computer systems at Israel’s Nevatim Air Force Base had been breached. – CyberScoop
Hans von Spakovsky writes: I don’t doubt, however, that the censors at Google will do everything they can to alter their search algorithm to prevent this article from turning up if anyone does a search about despicable college students supporting Hamas. So, if you think this article has important information, email it to people you know who you think might be interested. Google can’t demonetize that, either. – Washington Examiner
Eric Schmitt writes: After President Biden’s disastrous withdrawal from Afghanistan, there is little doubt both our allies and our adversaries can see our weaknesses. […]Consistent and repeated shows of force in cyberspace will demonstrate to our adversaries that we are done with wrist slaps for major cyber provocations. As we enter a period of fierce economic and military competition with China, this has never been a more critical issue. – The Hill