We are where we are because Biden has consistently projected weakness as did Obama. At least Trump kept our adversaries guessing.
BIBI must attack Iran but he cannot because the mass media and our State Department wimps will protest anything Israel does to respond..
I suspect in a few days the mass media will start reporting how Israel has been killing Palestinian citizens as an act of retribution.
The Israeli intelligence failure is directly related to the discord brought about by the unwillingness on the part of the Israeli left to compromise over the court issue and because of their extreme hatred both of the Haredi as well as BIBI.
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While wars are mounting Biden apparently seeks to cut American special forces.
Meanwhile, Biden's $6 Billion funding of Iran also has to be considered.
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Biden To Slash Special Forces?!
The U.S. Army is expected to face a sizeable reduction in its special operations forces, with potential cuts of approximately 3,000 troops, or about 10% of these forces, as reported by The Wall Street Journal. This move comes despite the U.S. Special Operations Command’s (SOCOM) attempts to maintain its current strength and after the Army proposed eliminating “trigger-pullers,” which are special units that carry out the most crucial and riskiest missions across the globe.
The suggested cuts have not received formal approval from Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin yet. However, insiders anticipate him to ratify the required paperwork shortly. According to Army leaders, the motive behind this move is to supposedly reallocate resources in preparation for potential major power conflicts in the Pacific region, emphasizing the need for bolstering conventional forces.
Several stakeholders, including SOCOM, high-ranking special operations officers, and Congress members, have voiced their concerns about the proposed cutbacks. They underscore the critical role of special forces as front-line troops and as trainers for allied militaries.
Sen. Ted Budd of North Carolina expressed his concerns, saying, “I’m very concerned about the pacing threat of China simultaneously with the reduction of SOF. When you look at the things that would deter China, SOF are on the tip of the spear. And so I think that the more we invest in our special operations, problems that ultimately could harm our nation over the next decade or two could be prevented.” He further remarked, “It’s unclear that this administration understands the value of SOF. Otherwise, they wouldn’t be proposing cuts.”
The Wall Street Journal also noted that the Army would inform Congress about the impending reductions. Most of these cuts will target “enabler” roles, spanning intelligence, logistics, communications, psychological warfare, and other sectors. In 2022, a mandated reduction led to SOCOM losing 700 personnel, making total losses of approximately 3,700 since the previous year.
Congress holds the power to decline the Army’s proposal, potentially removing any endorsement or monetary provisions from the defense bills for the fiscal year 2024, which are still under review.
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Silent Cries Amidst Invasion: Israel Must Eliminate Hamas
by Gregg Roman (Gregg Roman is director of the Middle East Forum.) The Times of Israel
In the haunting silence that follows yet another terrifying burst of gunfire, amidst the charred remains of a once peaceful kibbutz near the Gaza border, lies an emblem of innocence—a baby, found alone at Kibbutz Kfar Aza, whose parents may have been kidnapped by Hamas.
Hamas terrorists infiltrate an IDF base in Israel's southern district, severing contact with the soldiers stationed there, instilling a chilling silence that reverberates the menace of an unyielding enemy.
In the border town of Sderot, the crisis assumes an unprecedented hue. Shoval Kahlon, a resident, details a harrowing narrative where Hamas terrorists tread with impunity, their boots echoing the terror that now haunts the streets. They knock on doors, their sinister motives revealed when residents, expecting to find IDF troops, unwittingly open their doors to terrorists who take them hostage.
The child's silent cries for the missing parents, the silence of soldiers under siege, and the gunfire breaking out in front of kindergartens and supermarkets in Sderot, echo the unspeakable horrors of a conflict that knows no boundaries, a vivid testament to the wanton brutality and ruthlessness of Hamas's aggression and unprecedented invasion against Israel.
Each rocket launched, each life claimed, and each family torn apart underscores the urgent need for Israel, and the world, to reevaluate and respond to the ongoing crisis with a blend of strategic might and lethal determination.
Hamas and their allies have not just violated international law, they have trampled upon the very essence of humanity, initiating an era of darkness on this fateful fiftieth anniversary of the Yom Kippur War.
In June, the Middle East Forum released a policy paper challenging Israel's passive "mow the lawn" Gaza policy, instead presenting a path toward Israel victory. The paper calls on Israel to rid itself of Hamas's threat by disarming it, prohibiting its rearmament, and demonstrating conclusively the cost of threatening Israel. With today's attack, however, it is time to destroy Hamas once and for all.
The imagery of terror unleashed upon innocent Israeli lives flickers incessantly across television screens. Hamas and their allies have not just violated international law, they have trampled upon the very essence of humanity, initiating an era of darkness on this fateful fiftieth anniversary of the Yom Kippur War. The world has witnessed the resilience of the Jewish people, their undying spirit echoing the sanctity of their historical endurance. Today, as war detonates at Israel's doorstep, that endurance is summoned again – not out of choice, but necessity. Israel fights not for conquest, but for survival; not for dominance, but for the right to live without the darkened clouds of existential threat shadowing its every step.
The echoes of innocence are drowned out by the terrifying sounds of explosions. Hamas has not just ignited a war; it has declared an open siege on the Jewish state. The harrowing scenes unfolding in Israel's heartland cities, as terrorists pour into the streets and rockets rain down, tens of Israelis murdered, dozens kidnapped, and hundreds maimed, highlight an urgent imperative: The time has come for Israel to take definitive action against Hamas in Gaza.
The world watches in stunned silence, the horrors unfolding with each passing moment. Every rocket fired is a testament to Hamas's entrenched enmity and an unyielding commitment to Israel's destruction. Each act of terror underscores the urgent necessity for a direct, unequivocal response unencumbered by prevailing considerations of international consensus. Israel's action is not born of choice, but of an existential imperative.
The current situation is not just an act of terrorism: it is an invasion, an orchestrated massacre gleaming with the sinister glare of genocidal intent. Mohammad Deif's call for a total Arab war against Israel pulls the Middle East to the brink of catastrophe, resurrecting the ominous shadows of historic conflicts.
In the wake of this horrible invasion, a call is scheduled to take place this morning between President Joe Biden and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin. Netanyahu, embodying the resolve and anguish of a nation under siege, should articulate the grim realities Israel faces. "Mr. President," Netanyahu might say, "our nation is under assault. The skies are ablaze with rockets from Hamas, an organization that places its weaponry amidst civilians, using them as shields while they aim to exterminate us. The child found alone, echoing the silent yet deafening screams of a nation, is a stark testimony to the urgency and gravity of this threat."
The current situation is not just an act of terrorism: it is an invasion, an orchestrated massacre gleaming with the sinister glare of genocidal intent.
President Biden, confronted with this reality, should respond with the unyielding support of the United States and recognize the need to disarm Gaza. One hopes he says, "Prime Minister Netanyahu, the United States unequivocally stands behind Israel. We recognize the profound threat posed by Hamas—an organization that not only seeks Israel's destruction but undermines the principles of peace, security, and human dignity. America will not waver in its commitment to Israel's right to defend itself, and we shall extend our unwavering support, both diplomatically and materially, to ensure the security of the Israeli people."
Israel's response, therefore, cannot be mired in half measures and restrained actions. The re-occupation of the Gaza Strip emerges not as a choice but an imperative. Hamas and Islamic Jihad, entities nurtured by an unquenchable thirst for Israeli destruction, must be eradicated—for as long as they draw breath, the specter of annihilation looms over every Israeli child, woman, and man.
The disarmament of Gaza is not an act of oppression – it is a stride towards peace. Each rocket, every weapon that is wrested from the hands of Hamas and Islamic Jihad, echoes the distant but undeniable drumbeats of a region where children can dream without the nightmare of war shadowing their innocence.
Israel's consideration to eliminate Hamas's leadership and disband its organization is born not from a thirst for retribution, but from strategic and legal necessity. It is rooted in the objective to neutralize an existential threat, to silence the guns that leave children orphaned, and to dismantle the ideological edifice that fuels a relentless campaign of terror.
This is not a decision made lightly, but is necessitated by the evolving nature of the threat. There is a detailed case for a comprehensive military intervention against Hamas, reasons that go beyond the need to respond to the despicable invasion launched this morning from Gaza.
Hamas's charter unequivocally calls for the destruction of the State of Israel. Their acts of aggression are not limited skirmishes or disputes over borders, but pose a fundamental existential threat to Israel and its citizens.
History has shown that Hamas has not honored ceasefire agreements, but uses periods of calm to regroup and rearm, only to renew hostilities with increased vigor.
Over the years, Hamas has significantly upgraded its military capabilities, amassing thousands of rockets, including many that can reach Israel's major cities. The recent barrages on civilian centers underscore the extent of this threat.
Hamas has built an intricate network of tunnels used for smuggling weapons, launching attacks, and infiltrating Israel. The recent invasions are testament to the effectiveness and danger of these tunnels.
Hamas has consistently and strategically placed its military infrastructure within civilian areas near schools, hospitals, and homes. This strategy not only puts Palestinian civilians at risk, but complicates Israel's efforts to neutralize threats.
History has shown that Hamas has not honored ceasefire agreements, but uses periods of calm to regroup and rearm, only to renew hostilities with increased vigor. Hamas's actions and alliances, particularly with Iran, contribute to broader regional instability. Addressing the Hamas threat can help create a more stable Middle East.
Every state has a primary duty to protect its citizens. With Hamas's escalating aggression and capability to strike deep within Israel, military action becomes a matter of national security and civilian protection. Hamas's dominance in Gaza is one of the most significant impediments to a lasting peace between Israelis and Palestinians. By removing this extremist element, the door might open for more moderate voices to emerge.
Hamas, with its clear-cut and unambiguous intent to obliterate the State of Israel, presents an existential threat that transcends conventional security challenges. Every rocket launched and tunnel constructed underscores an existential menace that compels Israel to prioritize the safety of its civilians.
It is at this critical juncture that the complete destruction of Hamas and the targeted assassination of its leadership emerges as a central tenet of Israel's strategic response.
Completely dismantling Hamas and targeting its leadership for elimination are strategically calculated measures to eradicate an immediate and profound threat.
Each act of aggression from Gaza is not an isolated incident of terror, but a stark reminder of an ideological and existential war waged against Israel's very existence. To mitigate this persistent threat, neutralizing Hamas becomes an essential, albeit complex, objective. The organization's intricate military and social infrastructure, embedded deep within civilian habitats, exacerbates the challenge.
Completely dismantling Hamas and targeting its leadership for elimination are strategically calculated measures to eradicate an immediate and profound threat. The potency of this approach lies in its ability to decapitate the organizational and ideological machinery driving the incessant attacks, thereby incapacitating its operational capability.
The re-occupation of Gaza is the only tactical maneuver to achieve this objective. The direct oversight of the territory would enable a systematic and comprehensive destruction of Hamas's military and ideological edifice. Additionally, it would curtail the influx of weapons and militant resources, thereby crippling the organization's capacity to wage war.
For all these reasons and more, Israel's case for military action against Hamas in Gaza is clear. The organization must be torn from Gaza root and stem. While war should always be a last resort, Israel now faces a situation in which decisive action is required to safeguard its future and pave the way for a more stable, peaceful Middle East.
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Lucas: Mark Milley didn’t fade away
By Peter Lucas (Peter Lucas is a veteran Massachusetts political reporter and columnist.)
Former U.S. Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Mark Milley made enemies on his way out the door. (AP Photo/Olivier Matthys)Former U.S. Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Mark Milley made enemies on his way out the door. (AP Photo/Olivier Matthys)
“Old soldiers never die,” American Gen Douglas MacArthur said in his dramatic farewell speech to Congress in 1951. “They just fade away.”
And that is what MacArthur did.
The famous World War II general made his remarks days after President Harry Truman fired him because MacArthur, the commanding general in the Korean War, wanted to expand the war into China. Truman did not.
“There is no substitute for victory,” MacArthur said as Chinese troops poured into North Korea to support the North Korean Army routed by U.S forces.
MacArthur wanted to push them back to China and then go in after them.
Truman, seeking to avoid war with China, thought otherwise. The outspoken president said, “I fired him because he wouldn’t respect the authority of the president. I didn’t fire him because he was a dumb son of a bitch, although he was, but that’s not against the law for generals. If it was, half to three-quarters of them would be in jail.”
So, after a lifetime of distinguished military service, MacArthur, like his father before him, just faded away. After years of quiet retirement, he died in 1964.
If anyone should fade quietly away it should be Army Gen. Mark Milley. But the difference now is that generals don’t fade away anymore. They become consultants.
That is the direction that Milley is headed in after he resigned as chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff last week.
One wonders what MacArthur, who stood up to President Truman over Korea, would make of Milley, who rolled over for President Biden and Biden’s humiliating withdrawal from Afghanistan, which held America up to ridicule around the world.
Recall that it was Milley, the so-called military expert, who said in February 2022 that if the Russians invaded Ukraine, they would capture the capital Kyiv in 72 hours. Some should tell the general the Russians failed and that the war is still going on.
Testifying before Congress, Milley, who mastered the look of the gruff, put-upon leader, earlier called the craven Afghanistan withdrawal, which he said he advised Biden against, “a logistical success but a strategic failure.”
That is small solace to the families of the 13 U.S. service personnel killed by an ISIS suicide bomber at the Kabul airport during the precipitous evacuation.
To them, it was a disaster, not a logistical success or a strategic failure. It was a human failure by Biden and Miley, his chief military advisor. And if Biden rejected his advice, Milley should have done the honorable thing and resigned.
But he did not. When asked by Congress why he did not resign over the deadly Kabul withdrawal, Milley said, “It’s a political act if I resign in protest,” and he was not a politician.
Which is a joke. All Milley did was play politics during his four-year tenure under President Donald Trump who, to his later dismay appointed him, and then under Joe Biden, who sainted him for making the military go woke.
The “nonpolitical” Milley even took a shot at presidential candidate Trump during his resignation speech when he said generals like him “don’t take an oath to a king, or a queen or to a tyrant or a dictator, and we don’t take an oath to a wannabe dictator.
“The oath they take, he said, was to the Constitution.
Milley’s jab at Trump came after Trump called Milley “a woke train wreck” and a “traitor” for dealing with the Chinese military behind his back when Trump was president and Milley’s commander-in-chief. The left called Milley a hero.
This was in reference to Milley’s phone calls to Communist Chinese Gen Li Zuocheng in Beijing during the Jan.6 Capitol riot, to inform his Chinese counterpart that the U.S. was stable and would not attack China.
Milley believed that Trump had become unhinged after his election defeat and could go rogue. So, without the commander-in-chief’s (President Trump’s) knowledge or approval, Milley called the Chinese during the Jan. 6 riot to tip them off about any U.S. attack on them.
He told the general: “Gen. Li, “You and I have known each other for five years. If we’re going to attack, I’m going to call you ahead of time. It’s not going to be a surprise.”
If an underling had done that to Milley, he would have been court-martialed.
Now as a civilian consultant, Milley is free to call the Chinese anytime.
It’s a good thing Milley was not in on the Normandy invasion.
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This Was the Biden Administration’s First Response to the Attack on Israel
Will the Sunday Shows demand answers?
By ERICK-WOODS ERICKSON
The Sunday Shows are pivoting quickly to get people on from the Biden Administration to talk about the war now raging in Israel. Hamas invaded, took hostages, and has killed many Israeli citizens. Attacks are ongoing.
The Biden Administration’s first response was to urge Israel to refrain from “retaliatory attacks.” Why on earth was that the first response of the Administration? It almost seems templated. Hamas engages in violence and the Democrats — it’s always the Democrats — urge Israel not to retaliate.
Why was this the first response?
There are many questions.
In fact, were Israeli defense officials, Mossad, etc. too busy involves in the politics of the day in Israel to keep the watchful eye expected of them? Criticisms are already rising that the intelligence services were distracted by Knesset politics and did not detect hints of this coming attack.
Why and how?
But domestically, why did Ron DeSantis and Nikki Haley issue forceful pro-Israel statements before either Biden or Trump? Were the old men sleeping?
And why was the first response of the Biden Administration to discourage an Israeli response?
Right now, the people of Israel need our prayers and our nation’s support. But between now and sunrise, as the political Sunday shows prep for questioning American officials, there are a lot of questions to be asked, including why the initial, gut level response of the American Administration was to urge Israel not to retaliate and second, how much money did we send to Iran that helped Hamas fund these attacks?
We have an Iranian spy ring infiltrating the Biden Administration and the Biden Administration unlocking billions of dollars for Iran and then this attack. It does not take rocket science to figure out what is going on.
It is also notable, as an aside, the Antifa activists in Atlanta fighting against the police training facility have pivoted their society media accounts to support Hamas. Keep an eye on that.
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