An annual “threat assessment” compiled by US intelligence agencies was released on Monday and said that Israel will likely face resistance from Hamas for years to come, another sign that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s stated goal of “eradicating” the Palestinian group isn’t realistic.
“Israel probably will face lingering armed resistance from HAMAS for years to come, and the military will struggle to neutralize HAMAS’s underground infrastructure, which allows insurgents to hide, regain strength, and surprise Israeli forces,” the assessment reads.
The assessment aligns with an Israeli military intelligence document that was circulated last month and said even if Israel succeeded in dismantling Hamas as an organized military force, the group would still exist as “a terror group and a guerrilla group.” Other reports have said Israel is struggling to destroy the vast tunnel network underneath Gaza that is key to Hamas’s survival and is far more expansive than Israel initially thought.
Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Charles Q. Brown, the highest ranking US military officer, previously said that Israel’s mass killing of civilians in Gaza will be a recruiting boon for Hamas. “The faster you can get to a point where you stop the hostilities, you have less strife for the civilian population that turns into someone who now wants to be the next member of Hamas,” Brown said in November.
Despite believing Netanyahu’s goal is unrealistic, the US continues to provide unconditional military support for Israel’s genocidal war, which has killed at least over 31,000 Palestinians, mostly women and children.
The Biden administration is trying to distance itself from Netanyahu by criticizing his government, but the rhetoric hasn’t amounted to a policy change. The US threat assessment said that while Hamas isn’t going away, Netanyahu could lose his hold on power.
“Netanyahu’s viability as leader as well as his governing coalition of far-right and ultraorthodox parties that pursued hardline policies on Palestinian and security issues may be in jeopardy. Distrust of Netanyahu’s ability to rule has deepened and broadened across the public from its already high levels before the war, and we expect large protests demanding his resignation and new elections. A different, more moderate government is a possibility,” the report says.
The assessment also said that Iran had no role in Hamas’s October 7 attack and acknowledged Tehran is not seeking a nuclear weapon. “Iran is not currently undertaking the key nuclear weapons-development activities necessary to produce a testable nuclear device,” the report reads.
The report acknowledges that Iran’s increases in uranium enrichment since the US tore up the nuclear deal in 2018 were to gain leverage for negotiations, not seek a bomb. “Iran uses its nuclear program to build negotiating leverage and respond to perceived international pressure,” the assessment says.
Hamas is going away because the international community is coming to its rescue.
No one is coming to their rescue. The death toll will just go up in coming months.
Yes (Yemen excepted), but sadly intelligence has no part in Angl0-ZioNazism, only the old moronic racist power and greed.
Must we include Anglo? That’s like blaming a participant in the Special Olympics for running the wrong way.
We’re beneath blame and just deserve a participation prize.
By “Anglo” I intended Washington. But, you’re right. As Washington is owned by the Neocons who are in turn owned by Zionists (Trump & Biden emphatically included), Zionism is the King Rat, the rest, her drones.
Yea, DC, Canada, NZ, Aus, UK.
I’m ethnic Anglo. I just hate being the bad guy. I feel like we’re useful idiots who lack agency.
Even more. We oppose it, and lack agency. Whereas the wealth elite have agency and either support it or ignore the issue.
Kids love it! https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/52ad8992c78fe9f631ad81ed0616efa8516031e2ca397c45ca47b59417fe01c7.jpg
I like that image. I may use it in a future Substack. Someone should do the same image for Ukraine just changing the country name and ideology.
Ideology is the same
Murder their families, and then act surprised when they are angry and stay angry? Even a child knows better than that.
The obvious goal was to make cohabitation impossible.
But Palestinians should respond with, “From the river to the sea, Jews and Arabs equal and free.”
Use that quote on AlterNet or Wonkette and be prepared for so much flame that you’ll need an asbestos suit. Apparently saying that Jews and Arabs can live in peace, they way they did for several hundred years, is somehow antisemitic.
A different, more extremist government is also a possibility. Alas.
the pot calling the kettle black
The alarm was sent through the 2024 Annual Threat Assessment report issued on Monday. The document on worldwide threats to US national security cautions that China, Iran and Russia are challenging the current international rules-based order.”
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2024/3/12/united-states-faces-increasingly-fragile-world-order-spy-chiefs-say
There is no threat…! All doctored propagandas and speculations to justify confrontation with China, Russia and Iran…! Challenge and Threat have separate distinguished meanings…! They’re afraid of competition because they’re falling behind…!
Thucydides Trap.
“Challenge and Threat have separate distinguished meanings…!”
That depends on the context. In the context of great power politics, a strong or dominant power facing a challenge from a growing potential rival (a challenge which may consist simply of the growing economic potential of that potential rival), will almost always see it as a threat.
“International rules-based order” means doing everything the US wants and the US maintaining hegemony. That’s not anywhere near international law.
This always comes to mind whenever “terrorism” is uttered by the US gov’t:
~William Blum
William Blum (2006). “Rogue State: A Guide to the World’s Only Superpower”, p. 123, Zed Books
Times have changed though. Now the “terrorists” have drones and cruise missiles.
No tanks, no air-force, etc.
And everything is monitored, excluding in the depths of tunnels, which are still somewhat monitored.
If WWIII erupts, we’ll maybe see survivors living in tunnels. I’m curious how they’re built. If built with Roman concrete, which is being figured out, maybe some could last for millennia.
Blum is among the best.
“Iran uses its nuclear program to build negotiating leverage and respond to perceived international pressure, …”
What can one say about clueless statements like these?
You just can’t fix THE STUPID.
That goes without saying…!
Soon they would say, Houthis isn’t going away…!
Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Charles Q. Brown, the highest ranking US military officer, previously said that Israel’s mass killing of civilians in Gaza will be a recruiting boon for Hamas. “The faster you can get to a point where you stop the hostilities, you have less strife for the civilian population that turns into someone who now wants to be the next member of Hamas,” Brown said in November.
And imagine what a “boon” for recruiting that will be after 4 more months of mass killing.
Which is the intent.
Not only recruiting.
Yes, well … where would they go?
Hamas defeated by the new, even more extreme group. Maybe the new group will call itself Amalekites.
“Despite believing Netanyahu’s goal is unrealistic, the US continues to provide unconditional military support for Israel’s genocidal war, which has killed at least over 31,000 Palestinians, mostly women and children.“
Why?
Spot on Carol Jean, spot on.
Israel is selling everyone and every thing OUT, including its own people. The clock is ticking on the existence of their state.
AIPAC contributions to Biden’s campaign come to mind.
Most of the contribution to Biden campaign is the money US sends to Israel…!
One thing’s for sure, the PA is over and done.
Netanyahu will expand the war. He’ll go into Rafah. After that he’ll attack Hezbollah and Lebanon. Every arm chair general can figure that out. That’s his only hope to holding on to power. Perpetual war with Muslims. Only problem is as I stated when this war started and the Palestinian death toll exceeded into the tens of thousands the Israeli death toll on Oct 7th of last year. Muslims throughout the Middle East are pressuring their governments to respond to Israel’s genocide. Col. Douglas McGregor on Judge Napolitano today gave a play by play of what he thinks is to come in the Middle East and Ukraine. I for one agree with him. Muslims throughout the region will join the fight. Forcing the US to engage and defend Israel. Question is what does the rest of the world do if oil production is compromised? IMO everything goes south really really fast and the big one starts.
Look at this nonsense the Times just peddled
Israel Has No Choice but to Fight On
https://www.nytimes.com/2024/03/12/opinion/israel-hamas-war-military.html
Biden Shrinks the U.S. Military
https://www.wsj.com/articles/biden-defense-budget-pentagon-u-s-military-china-russia-israel-ukraine-ba7fd46b?mod=opinion_lead_pos1
We have two partisan newspapers both trying to outhawk each other and zero voice for peace.
I suppose you could take this in a variety of ways:
1. It’s futile to continue the campaign against Hamas (by slaughtering innocent humans), or
2. Israel and the US must not stop the ongoing massacre (and ethnic cleansing) because Hamas will always be a threat
I find having faith in intelligence as an ethical entity dubious.
I’ve yet to come across any evidence of intelligence anywhere in Biden’s administration. Just a bunch of yahoos as far as I can see, all drunk out of their minds on their own power.
The official foreign policy of the U.S. for a long time has been: the best way to win hearts and minds is to launch smart-bombs into their neighborhoods. It hasn’t worked for us, and the Israelis are learning a similar lesson.
Not Probably… rather Definitely…! We knew this from Day One…!
The US Intelligence ‘Threat Assessment’ is usually and was ignored by numerous presidents such as Biden, Bush, Clinton, Trump etc., to benefit Israel and other US Neocon warmongers…!