Ex-US general: We pay a price for backing Israel (James Mattis)

The Times of Israel ^ | July 25, 2013 | Lazar Berman

[ari-freedom]

Retired US Marine Corps General James Mattis recently said that America pays a price for its perceived bias in support of Israel.

“I paid a military security price every day as the commander of CentCom because the Americans were seen as biased in support of Israel, and that moderates all the moderate Arabs who want to be with us, because they can’t come out publicly in support of people who don’t show respect for the Arab Palestinians,” he said Saturday at the Aspen Security Forum in Colorado in response to a question about the peace process

Mattis took over Central Command, whose area of responsibility includes the Middle East, North Africa, and Central Asia, from David Petraeus in 2010.

He called the current situation in Israel “unsustainable” and blamed the settlements for harming prospects for peace. The chances for an accord between Israel and the Palestinians, said Mattis, “are starting to ebb because the settlements and where they’re at are going to make it impossible to maintain the two state solution.”

[Ymani Cricket]

Having Mattis would be an in-your-face rebuke to the President who purged him and forced early retirement.

[Freedom'sWorthIt]

totally agree! We don’t need someone who is anti-Israel as Sec of Defense.

[Finalapproach29er]

General: Please read Genesis 12:3.

[Tours]

Gutsy guy, I hope Trump stays with his decision.
The last I heard he wore a uniform of the United States Armed Forces. He took an oath to the United States. He did not swear allegiance to Israel or any other foreign nation.

[Tours]

??If nominated he’ll be well examined on his attitude towards Israel.//
My concern is his performance in defending the United States.

[tjd1454]

2) Why? "because the Americans were seen as biased in support of Israel [by the Arabs] - True

3) Result? "...moderates - all the moderate Arabs who want to be with us... can’t come out publicly in support of people who don’t show respect for the Arab Palestinians,” - True

So what else is new? If the (Arab) world lasts another thousand years, they will interminably be blaming the tiny Jewish state in their midst for their problems.

Are you joking? The Palestinians NEVER had it so good as when they were governed by the Israelis. Their "Arab brethren" Jordan did NOTHING for them when they ruled the area. Heard it from the horse's mouth. I lived there (Nope - not Jewish).

"show respect for the Arab Palestinians"? Translate: Destroy the hated Jewish State, beginning with the wholly unworkable "two-state solution", then, when the enemy can bring their missiles to within miles of anywhere in Israel, the war to the death will begin. Many will die.

As for "all the moderate Arabs"? Sisi - yes. Not many others. Lived there. Done that.

[Louis Foxwell]

This is sheer idiocy. There is nothing moderate about Palestinians. They are a criminal cabal existing solely to destroy Israel.

[ari-freedom]

and America

[af_vet_1981]

well from the headline it doesn’t seem he’s very pro Israel don’t ya think..but I am willing to give him the benefit of the doubt maybe he’s changed his views since then

After specifically calling Gen. Mattis a jew hater, I challenged that and you have no evidence. You should issue a public apology.

[Georgia Girl 2]

I don’t give a rat’s bazoo about a two state solution.

[pepsi_junkie]

General, muslims who refuse to cooperate with you because you won’t disavow Israel are not “moderates”.

[MadMax, the Grinning Reaper]

The name of the author of this piece, Lazar Berman, rings a warning bell in my mind.
Does anyone know his background and what he has written?

I just keep getting a feeling that he pissed me off in the not too distant past for something really stupid he wrote.

[trebb]

Sounds like he is under no allusions about it and recognizes the reality. I don't see anything here that says he doesn't support Israel, just that he's aware of the costs and that the 2-State "solution" ain't gonna happen.

I see some folks here have opted to jump the shark again - so many useful tools to overcome.....

[antidisestablishment]

Another thing that many in the military know is that there are no moderate Muslims. There are only radicals, those who support radicals, and cowards.

Turkey was supposed to be the miraculous modern Muslim state. How’s that working out for you?

[Hawthorn]

>> Being a good warfighting general is an apolitical task, but setting policy as a civilian department head is altogether different <<

Maybe that’s why Congress, in its collective wisdom, passed a law to forbid a retired general from becoming SecDef.

(The ban is in place until seven years have elapsed since the general’s retirement).

[Mr. Mojo]

blamed the settlements for harming prospects for peace.

If Mattis truly believes that, he's a fool.