I am a Marine Corps veteran who served from 1999 to 2005 with Headquarters Company, 23rd Marine Regiment. I know the meaning of peace and conflict. To me, the sounds, images, and talking points we see and hear about Israel’s war in the Gaza Strip all frighteningly echo the years of the United States’ wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.
Over the past year, US President Joe Biden’s administration has taken minimal steps towards peace, allowing for the escalation and expansion of the conflict. This July, I joined thousands of veterans across this nation who signed a petition that was delivered to leaders in Congress and President Joe Biden’s administration, demanding that the US work towards a ceasefire in Gaza, among other conditions. Unfortunately, nothing has changed since then.
Now that the war in Gaza has passed the one-year mark, the Biden administration needs to reassess its diplomatic approach to this conflict. It is critical to no longer advise Israel under a defensive framework — instead, it’s time to recognize Tel Aviv as an aggressor and pressure Israeli leaders to stop the wars in both Gaza and Lebanon.
Justice?
Israel has the right to seek justice for Hamas’s deadly attacks on Oct. 7, 2023. The details of the assault on the people of Israel are grotesque, and those responsible should be brought to justice. But does attacking Gaza with impunity amount to justice?
Under the leadership of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the Israeli government has continually intensified and expanded the conflict, shirking ceasefire proposals in the process. The US, which has shipped Israel billions of dollars in security aid and weapons throughout the war, should seriously reconsider how the Israeli government is attempting to achieve “justice” and the widespread civilian harm it has caused.
Israel claims its primary objective is to eradicate Hamas. However, the data shows that Israeli forces have killed tens of thousands of civilians — meanwhile, Hamas remains in place.
According to the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, Hamas had between 20,000 and 25,000 fighters before the conflict began in October 2023. In July, the Jerusalem Post reported that the Israeli military had estimated that it had killed around 16,000 Hamas fighters. The total death toll has now soared to an alarming 43,000, meaning Israeli forces have killed scores more civilians than fighters. This is not precision targeting, as the Israeli government claims, but rather an aggressive tactic that blatantly disregards civilian lives.
De-escalation through Escalation
Meanwhile, as Axios has reported, the Israeli government has adopted a curious rationale for expanding the war into Lebanon: “De-escalation through escalation.” Worse still, US officials have ostensibly accepted this logic. Is it possible for the US and its allies to occupy the moral high ground while effectively greenlighting this kind of belligerence? Escalation risks broadening this conflict into a regional war, drawing in Israel’s neighbors, and threatening the lives of millions of people.
These errors echo those the US made during the Iraq and Afghanistan wars, where we were led to believe that invading countries would eliminate terrorism.
The US, of course, is Israel’s closest ally. But what good is such an alliance if we fail to address the errors our friends are committing? These errors echo those the US made during the Iraq and Afghanistan wars, where we were led to believe that invading countries would eliminate terrorism.
If the US learned anything from its protracted global war on terror, it must advise the Israeli government to draw down its offensive, agree to a ceasefire, and allow humanitarian aid to flow freely, and for Hamas to let the hostages come home. The violence has not gained anyone anything. Antiquated strategies from the so-called war on terror have proven ineffective. The countries the US invaded are no safer than they were before.
New Diplomatic Approach
The Biden administration must change its diplomatic approach. It should remind Israel that its use of military force against Arab countries over the last 75 years has not made it any safer.
If the Israeli government does not heed US calls for restraint and proceeds as an aggressor, then as a true and responsible ally, Washington must reconsider providing them with offensive weapons. But don’t just take my word for it: Senators Bernie Sanders, Peter Welch, and Jeff Merkley have introduced the Joint Resolutions of Disapproval to block certain arms sales to the Israeli government, proposals Congress will vote on when it reconvenes in November.
It’s high time to reflect on the year that has passed and advocate for peace — but not just with empty words. It’s time for real, decisive action. More innocent lives are on the line, and the future will measure our true commitment to democracy and human rights by how effectively we can steer our allies toward a more just and humane path. As long as we fail to prioritize dialogue and understanding, this conflict will continue to spiral even further out of control.
Top photo: A photo shows the aftermath of an Israeli airstrike in the Gaza Strip, published on Aug. 14, 2022 (Mohammed Ibrahim/Unsplash)
