The menace coming from Damascus could have been averted....

 ...had Damascus been conquered!! Currently they are apprehensive that there are menacing signs coming from Damascus. 

On Simchas Torah we spoke that they should have advanced those last remaining 15 – 20 kilometers and conquered Damascus. At that time there were no impediments in achieving this. Had they done so, the current problems would be non-existent, and all captives would have been freed. There would have been no burdensome efforts necessary to advance those remaining kilometers, as there would not have been any opposition coming from the enemy.

There was no need for the government [of Israel] to command the IDF to withdraw. The reason that was given as to why this command was ordered was because the USA would have been “angry” had they not done so. The gentile nevertheless remained “angry”, and even more so, wishing that Damascus would have been conquered, thereby saving all the pain and tribulations currently coming from there. Damascus would have been conquered and when returned – would have remained a downtrodden kingdom.

The reason for these failures is because they [the government of Israel] bows down before the gentile, fearful they will not find favor in his eyes. 

This is the guiding instruction which we need to learn from the narrative brought down in the Talmud about Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai: not to be fools, reliant on the “kindness of the nations” who are self-serving. Rather, one needs to make the necessary effort with the [ruling] gentile as did Rashbi who traveled to Rome. On the other hand, one must realize that the success of the mission comes exclusively from G-d [one who takes action in accordance with nature is following the wish of G-d because the ultimate salvation is from Him alone]. One must make the appropriate preparations so that deliverance and success follow. The preparations are to study Torah and conduct oneself in accordance with the path of Torah and Torah law, as did Rashbi whose preoccupation was with Torah. 

This is why the Jewish people at that time specifically wanted Rashbi to travel to Rome as their representative to make the efforts on their behalf. Since his total occupation was with Torah study, we can well understand that while in Rome he studied Torah there also. Thereby was he able to draw down a demon as needed – as mentioned before. 

Washington

The same holds true today. We need to travel to Washington, as is the Will of G-d – that we act in a natural way. With this, we need to understand that the decisions of the nations are based on self interest, but we must rely solely on G-d. And when we rely upon Him in truth and with perfection, then should the gentile be unwilling to help - we can bring down a demon exactly as did Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai.........