cross-posted from: https://lemmy.ml/post/20919616
Senior White House figures privately told Israel that the U.S. would support its decision to ramp up military pressure against Hezbollah — even as the Biden administration publicly urged the Israeli government in recent weeks to curtail its strikes, according to American and Israeli officials.
Not everyone in the administration was on board with Israel’s shift, despite support inside the White House, the officials said. The decision to focus on Hezbollah sparked division within the U.S. government, drawing opposition from people inside the Pentagon, State Department and intelligence community who believed Israel’s move against the Iran-backed militia could drag American forces into yet another Middle East conflict.
Officials in the intelligence community, in briefings and talks with members of Congress last week, had said they were increasingly worried about the potential for a direct ground confrontation between Israel and Hezbollah. Similar conversations were occurring in the State Department, where officials were concerned about the mounting civilian death toll in Lebanon.
The internal administration division seems to have dissipated somewhat in recent days, with top U.S. officials convening Monday at the White House with President Joe Biden to discuss the situation on the ground. Most agreed that the conflict, while fragile, could offer an opportunity to reduce Iran’s influence in Lebanon and the region.
Still, the White House is walking a fine line, U.S. and Israeli officials said. The Biden administration wants to support Israel’s actions against a U.S.-designated terrorist group that has killed Americans and threatens the region. But it is not comfortable endorsing Israel’s campaign completely — or publicly — because it is worried it will creep too far into Lebanese territory, instigating an all-out war, one of the U.S. officials said.
This won’t end well for anyone. What the fuck man.
I like Joe Biden in every other respect, but what the hell is up with this hard-on for Israel? Is it purely AIPAC and the Jewish-American vote, or is there some other calculus going into all this? I expected better, but they’re just rubber-stamping anything and everything that Israel wants to do, no matter how fucked up.
Well, he is pretty old. Hammered in guilt and fervour for Israel due to being born during and growing up shortly after WWII?
It wouldn’t be the first time Israel engaged in compromat. Either that or he’s completely blind to what’s going on.
I think this is just the hill he’s decided to die on. Zion uber alles or some ideological shit like that.
Most agreed that the conflict, while fragile, could offer an opportunity to reduce Iran’s influence in Lebanon and the region.
Iran influence is based on “Israel” actions. No Genocide, No aggression, means no one would need Iran. The same in Iraq and other regions. Which makes me question the statement unless these people are really stupid.
Shades of “if we just keep indiscriminately bombing in the vicinity of where we think terrorists are, we’ll certainly reduce the influence of terrorist organizations among the populace”.
Surely it’s worth a nearly infinite number of (Arab) lives and residential buildings to kill one Hezbollah leader. After all, they’re super-terrorist masterminds without which no one could think of setting off a bomb or firing unguided rockets into Israel.
Out of curiosity, is there a way to find out how many Americans have been killed by Hezbollah and hamas vs Israel?
All of those numbers are teeny tiny in comparison to the number of Americans killed by America.
fuck genocde-joe and may he burn eternally in hell
