US Government Has Doubts About Israel’s Ability to Carry Out a Successful Ground Invasion of Gaza
Jose Nino
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According to senior United States officials who were in touch with the New York Times, the Israeli army is “not yet ready” to launch a proper ground offensive into the Gaza Strip and does not have “achievable military objectives” to carry out the stated goal of “eradicating” Hamas.
“[US] officials said they have not yet seen an achievable plan of action,” NYT reported.
The report also cites senior US officials as saying that the US “had not told Israel what to do and still supported the ground invasion.”
This support includes sending three-star Marine Corps General James Glynn – who presided over operations against ISIS in Iraq – and several other military officers to “advise” Israeli leaders on how to conduct a ground invasion of the Gaza Strip.
“We have asked several officials with relevant experience simply to help Israeli officials think through the difficult questions ahead and explore their options. The [Israeli army] will, as always, make its own decisions,” a Defense Department spokesperson said to Axios.
Per Israeli media, US and Israeli officials have held “marathon meetings and phone calls” in the last two weeks to hammer out plans for the ground operation.
On October 22, 2023 US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said in an interview on television: “This may be a bit more difficult because of the underground network of tunnels that Hamas has constructed over time and the fact that they have had a long time to prepare for a fight.”
In a recent Bloomberg report Israeli officials were cited, as remarking that “the role and influence of the US in this war against Hamas are deeper and more intense than any exerted by Washington in the past,” allegedly to allow for additional time to negotiate the liberation of the over 220 Israeli prisoners of war (POW) in Gaza.
Indeed, Israel appears to be facing a military quagmire in Gaza. This area is a wasp’s nest of Israel haters that will fight to the last man to avoid Israeli occupation.
The Israeli public will support punitive actions against Hamas’ heinous actions, but they’re hesitant about a prolonged occupation that could result in the unnecessary deaths of additional Israeli troops. On top of that, the US is clearly overstretched in military commitments. However, there are pro-Zionist elements within the US government who are more than willing to drag the US into a prolonged military conflict in the Middle East.
The US should stop providing diplomatic cover and military aid to Israel, thereby letting the Jewish state fend for itself like any other responsible polity in the international system.
The US’s special relation with Israel must ultimately end if any foreign policy sanity is to emerge
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