Retired US Marines Corps Gen. Frank McKenzie, former commander of US Central Command, described Israel’s success in Gaza as “very limited,” noting Israel has failed to dismantle the Palestinian group’s military and political leadership.
McKenzie, who retired from his post at CENTCOM in 2022, made the comments while appearing on CBS News’ “Face the Nation” on Sunday. When asked about the level of Israel’s success, McKenzie said, “It’s very limited so far.”
“I think they set themselves a goal of removing the political echelon, and the military leadership echelon of Hamas, when they went in. They have not been successful to date at doing either,” he said.
His comments come as Hamas is reestablishing itself in northern Gaza, where Israel claimed it had eliminated the Palestinian group’s military structure. Israel is also struggling to destroy Hamas’s vast tunnel network under Gaza, which is much larger than Israel initially thought.
McKenzie suggested Israel had not thought of what its end game in Gaza was going to be before launching the operation, which has killed over 27,000 Palestinians, including over 11,500 children.
“You need a vision of an end state when you begin a military campaign, because everything you do then subtracts or adds to your ability to get to that point. And I would argue that needs to be something like a two-state solution,” McKenzie said. “You’re gonna need help from the Arab nations in the region to go in there and- and do something in- in Gaza. I think Israeli occupation would be the least desirable of all outcomes.”
Despite the lack of a realistic goal and the massive civilian casualty rate, the Biden administration continues to provide unconditional support for the Israeli slaughter of Palestinians. The administration wants Congress to approve a massive military aid spending bill that includes $14 billion for Israel.
For Israel it was about killing Palestinians the who story about defeating Hamas was some thing of a side issue. Kill all the Palestinians and you kill Hamas.
Killing is good politics in Israel it is not the same country it was 30 years ago the newer generation are raised in hatred and prejudice , apartheid and abuse is the norm now. No one questions it you need only look at who is in the Israeli Cabinet to understand the country today..
Hamas remains more popular than the useless PLO, or whatever it calls itself. Abbas is a failure, complicit in the crimes of Israel before 7Oct.
Similar story in the US.
Well, they are not doing a very good job of it, are they? Israel has maybe managed to kill only 1% of the Gaza population in 2 months? That’s pretty bad. They need to bring out the Napalm and the Thermobarics.
Please don’t give them ideas.
Hamas and their tunnels is an excuse. The real deal is to kill off or move the Palestinians for the myth of “greater Israel” to be.
That’s like Putin saying he went into Ukraine to protect his people, de-militarized and de-nazify. Now, that’s an excuse. Lol
What’s that debunked figure your dumbass keeps repeating? 14K Russians killed by Ukraine?
That’s an BS excuse.
I don’t remember Israel ever stating they would win the war in 3 days. They have said, it will be a long war.
Russia never said that they were going to win in Ukraine in 3 days either, they knew it was going to be a long, drawn out war of attrition from the beginning. Both claims have been nothing but the fantasies of Empire parrots in the corporate press.
This extreme Zionist Government could be the end of Israel. That is what happens when greed and racism overcome common sense and humanity.
that’s “… should be…”
I humbly accept your correction and hope for the best.
Like Hamas isn’t racist.
“The administration wants Congress to approve a massive military aid spending bill that includes $14 billion for Israel.”
Correction: The administration wants Congress to approve a massive military aid spending bill that includes $14 billion for Israel so that they can count on AIPAC come November, hoping our bombs somehow stop slaughtering Gaza’s women and children soon enough to get the voters to forget…
The Administration’s real priority is money for Ukraine. Not Ukraine, just money for it. The idea is to avoid defeat before the election. That is why they will veto money for Israel if they don’t also get money for Ukraine.
Thus, the point is to re-elect Biden no matter who or how many that kills.
Helping Israel hurts Biden’s re-election with a vital segment of his supporters, just as not helping would hurt with a different vital segment. He is waffling around unable to decide what to do. But, he knows he wants that money for Ukraine.
What a fucking loser. A trait common tom the last 7 or 8 people elected or coronated as our King. not responsible to the voters but in abject servitude to the Corporations,Banks and Oil companies. The public be damned.
A good point well taken. I like your cat. Dogs have masters. Cats have subjects.
https://tomluongo.me/2024/02/06/podcast-episode-169-alastair-crooke-and-the-existential-crises-in-the-middle-east/
Alastair Crooke And The Existential Crises In The Middle East
McKenzie wouldn’t say this if he still was the head of CENTCOM… Would he…?!
The good honest Military men and women don’t get promoted. They get passed over. Telling the truth can be harmful to a career.
Israel is defeated in Gaza and now it wants to be defeated by Hezbollah…!
Actually, stale mate-5,000 Hamas dead,but they will be able to raise more terrorists in a few years.
Maybe Israel hasn’t thought of Gaza’s end game because Gaza is not it’s end game 🙂
Israel has not only failed, they have made their situation much worse.
Their genocidal rage and hate have made enemies of hundreds of millions of people, including all of Gaza. Including half of US Democrats, most of Europe, the whole Global South.
They are the ultimate recruiter for Hamas. Now they can expect Hamas to control the West Bank Palestinians too, very soon.
Their vast crimes have dug a vast hole, and they are down at the bottom still digging.
It is now a good question whether anything can save the Israeli state as we have known it from the fate of Rhodesia/Zimbabwe.
Thanks you just made my day.
90-400 nukes.Meanwhile Rhodesia/Zimbabwe are not doing all that well these days. the genocidal hate and rage goes both ways.
I can’t wait for Israel to take it up the keister and pay in blood and treasure for their crimes. I am not a self hating jew. i believe in humanity and morality. Two subjects that don’t exist inn todays Isrsel.
So the Hamas massacre of Oct 7,its persecution of dissidents, its teaching small children to hate and kill,lack of women’s equality,refusal to negotiate before this war, and refusal to sit down at the table during Oslo does not bother you? So you condemn an entire nation of 8 million people ?
Hamas didn’t exist in 1993, it would have been a bit difficult for them to “sit down at the table during Oslo”.
They just don’t make trolls like they used to.
Hamas was founded in 1987.
It was a tiny splinter of the Muslim Brotherhood with a few dozen members and essentially no central organization beyond its founder. It wasn’t until around 1999-2001 when it became a player, smuggling equipment, food and medicines to Gaza through the IDF blockade.
Children in Gaza have been deprived of food long enough that some of them have started to die of starvation. Because of the embargo on medical supplies over 1,000 Palestinian children have had one or both legs amputated without anesthesia.
Winning hearts and minds . . .