10/16/2023

My Dear Friend & POTUS, JRB,

            So sorry you had to cancel your trip to CO today, but I think that was a prudent decision. Monitoring the Israel situation should be your top priority.

            According to Simon Tisdall, “Iran holds the key.” He warns that “Tehran (could) recklessly up the ante in the coming days.” I worry that sending our ships to the region will just provoke Ali Khamenei. Please remember WINTA!!! As you endorse Bibi’s “war” on Hamas, is there an end game in mind?

            I keep trying to figure out who the Hamas fighters are & how the Israeli soldiers will know one when they see one. I assume the IDF will shoot anyone with a gun, but how about a 15-year-old in an abaya? Will they be disciplined enough to wait to see what that person does when they are told to put their hands up? What language will they give the command in? Can we assume the Palestinians know Hebrew? A 19-year-old pumped up on adrenaline has a hard time thinking straight & the protocol they learned in boot camp may not be top of mind. Will they obey “the rules of war?”

            Thank you for appointing David Satterfield as special envoy to humanitarian efforts in Gaza. Please consult with him frequently & keep reminding Bibi that no one wants this conflict to escalate.

            Please continue to ask Bibi what he is doing to get the hostages released. Find out if he has some contact with anyone in Hamas. Kidnappers usually provide evidence that their victims are still alive. Do we have any of that?

            According to Thich Nhat Hanh, “Life is both dreadful & wonderful… If we are not happy, if we are not peaceful, we cannot share happiness & peace with others, even those we love…if we can smile, everyone will profit from it.”

            So, as I start this day with the pall of the Gaza & Burmese situations hanging over me & the specter of violent atrocities looming, I focus on the relief of a deep breath & am thankful that the voters in Poland chose democracy.

            BYBS,