Thomas L. Friedman argues that the 'once and for all' military strategy against Hamas in Gaza and Iran's regime is fundamentally flawed. He contends that Israel's repeated decapitation of Hamas leadership over three generations failed to eliminate the group's control, as Hamas maintains deep roots and political influence among Gaza's population.

Friedman warns that similar tactics against Iran, involving massive airstrikes, would likely suffer the same fate, creating a power vacuum that could empower worse elements and destabilize the region further. The core lesson is that eliminating a threat militarily without addressing underlying political and social issues is ineffective and counterproductive.