David Sachs

I don't think they've solved their Hamas problem. They have not gotten Sanwar, and they've lost a meaningful amount of global support.

If Israel could actually destroy Hamas and achieve its military objective in Gaza, that'd be one thing. But I think we've seen that that's impossible. I mean, Hamas basically bleeds in with the population. It's indistinguishable. And the leadership is hidden deep underground. And the Israelis have not been able to root them out against the war, has not been found.

If Israel could actually destroy Hamas and achieve its military objective in Gaza, that'd be one thing. But I think we've seen that that's impossible. I mean, Hamas basically bleeds in with the population. It's indistinguishable. And the leadership is hidden deep underground. And the Israelis have not been able to root them out against the war, has not been found.

And so you've destroyed Gaza, but you have not achieved your objective of eliminating Hamas. And in the process, you've deeply alienated

And so you've destroyed Gaza, but you have not achieved your objective of eliminating Hamas. And in the process, you've deeply alienated

Everything's just worse. I mean, you still have the same problem. In fact, now the entire Palestinian population is radicalized. In fact, the whole Arab and Muslim population in the Middle East is more radicalized against you than they were before. I mean, I know there was already a significant amount of hatred, but now it's worse. And you haven't fundamentally solved the underlying issue.

Everything's just worse. I mean, you still have the same problem. In fact, now the entire Palestinian population is radicalized. In fact, the whole Arab and Muslim population in the Middle East is more radicalized against you than they were before. I mean, I know there was already a significant amount of hatred, but now it's worse. And you haven't fundamentally solved the underlying issue.

I think the 9-11 analogy is apt. I mean, we went off after 9-11, half-cocked into all these wars in the Middle East. I think that going into Afghanistan, I think that was justified because they were harboring al-Qaeda. But then we went into Iraq.

I think the 9-11 analogy is apt. I mean, we went off after 9-11, half-cocked into all these wars in the Middle East. I think that going into Afghanistan, I think that was justified because they were harboring al-Qaeda. But then we went into Iraq.

because really members of the Bush administration had a pre-existing agenda and then they lied us into it saying that Saddam was connected somehow to 9-11 and we began a 20-year process of just plunging ourselves into all these wars. It only made everything worse. One of the reasons why Iran is in such a strong position today in the Middle East is because we took out Iraq.

because really members of the Bush administration had a pre-existing agenda and then they lied us into it saying that Saddam was connected somehow to 9-11 and we began a 20-year process of just plunging ourselves into all these wars. It only made everything worse. One of the reasons why Iran is in such a strong position today in the Middle East is because we took out Iraq.

We basically created a power vacuum in the Middle East that they ended up filling.

We basically created a power vacuum in the Middle East that they ended up filling.

Look, I think there's no question that we're on a path here where we could have a regional war in the Middle East. Remember that after Israel hit the Iranian general in Lebanon, the Iranians responded two weeks later with that massive attack. drone and missile attack. Most of the missiles were intercepted by Iron Dome, and I think America participated in that as well.

Look, I think there's no question that we're on a path here where we could have a regional war in the Middle East. Remember that after Israel hit the Iranian general in Lebanon, the Iranians responded two weeks later with that massive attack. drone and missile attack. Most of the missiles were intercepted by Iron Dome, and I think America participated in that as well.

I think one or two of them got through. And then Israel launched kind of a weak missile attack on Iran, and that was kind of the final word on it. There were people in Netanyahu's cabinet, like Smotrich and Ben-Gavir, sort of the more hardline radical right-wingers, who I think publicly tweeted that they thought Israel's final word on it was weak, and they clearly wanted to do more.

I think one or two of them got through. And then Israel launched kind of a weak missile attack on Iran, and that was kind of the final word on it. There were people in Netanyahu's cabinet, like Smotrich and Ben-Gavir, sort of the more hardline radical right-wingers, who I think publicly tweeted that they thought Israel's final word on it was weak, and they clearly wanted to do more.

So I think the point is just that when we had this last exchange between Israel and Iran, it felt like it was on the verge of tipping over into a regional war, but I think partly due to the efforts of the United States, We were able to help tamp that down. I think now Iran's promising revenge for what just happened in Tehran, and this could set that escalatory spiral off again.

So I think the point is just that when we had this last exchange between Israel and Iran, it felt like it was on the verge of tipping over into a regional war, but I think partly due to the efforts of the United States, We were able to help tamp that down. I think now Iran's promising revenge for what just happened in Tehran, and this could set that escalatory spiral off again.

If you were to place odds on this, I'd say it's at least 50-50 that things escalate into a regional war.