"Despite clear interests on almost all sides against a regional war [in the Middle East], all sides are acting in a manner that makes such a war increasingly likely," writes Trita Parsi, executive vice president of the Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft, in an October 15 article calling for the Biden administration to push for "de-escalation" between Israel and Hamas.
He says that although the Biden administration is "well aware" of "escalation risks" that might lead to a broader regional war, talk of de-escalation remains off-limits. The Huffington Post reports that it has obtained State Department memos instructing employees to avoid terms like "de-escalation/ceasefire," "end to violence/bloodshed," and "restoring calm" in press materials and statements.
