Pressure Points: The Only Way to Disarm Hamas
Who will prevent Hamas from continuing its rule of the half of Gaza it controls, from rearming, and from rebuilding its terror capabilities? The International Security Force is supposed to be the answer, but it is already clear that there are few troop contributors and even those have said they will not fight Hamas.
In an article in Foreign Affairs entitled “The Only Way to Disarm Hamas, I argue (along with co-authors Amb. Eric Edelman and Rena Gabber) that private security contractors may be the answer:
Top-level security contractors are a viable but overlooked option for ridding postwar Gaza of Hamas. They are staffed by well-trained, highly capable military personnel with experience serving in elite units. They will not shy away from potential conflict with Hamas terrorists. In fact, they are perhaps the only force besides the IDF itself willing to directly confront Hamas and do the hard work of demilitarizing Gaza. A demilitarizing force composed of private contractors could also come together quickly, particularly compared to the ISF. That would allow it to push Hamas back before the group gains even more power.
Contractors also have a strong track record. Many have long reliably, responsibly, and effectively supported American military operations. They have successfully trained foreign military forces in Croatia, Georgia, and other countries; in Afghanistan, they successfully provided security for former President Hamid Karzai in a highly dangerous environment. They have been used with relative success to combat piracy off the Horn of Africa, as well. The degree of difficulty in Gaza is undoubtedly higher, but with sufficient numbers and strong backing by Israel, the United States, and Arab countries, contractors stand at least as good a chance of success as an international stabilization force willing to take on Hamas.
We conclude that this solution should be tried:
Demilitarizing Hamas will be an uphill battle no matter who is doing the fighting. It may ultimately require the IDF to reenter the parts of Gaza from which it has withdrawn. Hamas has many weapons and resources, and it will use them all in a desperate effort to maintain power. But even if the IDF does return and fight, there will eventually be a new cease-fire and new debates about how to dethrone Hamas. The world will then be right back where it is now—which is to say, in need of contractors. Disarming Hamas is essential to reaching a durable peace, and private contractors are an essential part of any viable path forward. They must be deployed, and as quickly as possible.
The full text is found at Foreign Affairs, here.