The rise of Hamas points to America's failure.
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In a debate over the Israel-Gaza truce talks, Brookings' Khaled Elgindy makes an important point about Hamas:
Even since the attacks began, even since the assassination of their top military commander, their popularity, their stock, if you will, in the region has skyrocketed, while their rivals' in the West Bank has plummeted.So, and even we're at a situation now where the exact opposite of the intended outcome is what we have. The policy has been for the last five years to support and build up the leadership in the West Bank...And to minimize and weaken through sanctions and diplomatic and other means to the government of the Hamas authority in the West Bank.
Today, we have the Qataris and Egyptians and other Egyptian leaders visiting Hamas, emboldening them and legitimizing them. And it's the American-backed Palestinian Authority that is on the verge of financial collapse.
So, essentially, you cannot have -- the definition of a failed policy is when it achieves the exact opposite of its intended outcome.
