Will Biden Grand Bargain for Peace in Gaza and Middle East Rob Israel of Victory?

by Jerry Gordon and Brig. General (US Army Retired) John Adams

Jerry Gordon, a Senior Editor of The New English Review, invited retired US Army Brig. General John Adams to discuss Israel Defense Force military doctrine and strategic options in the conduct of the Jewish state’s civilizational war with Iran-backed Hamas terrorist group in Gaza. He addresses the conflict given his extensive background as a 30-year veteran of combat, staff and international military diplomatic assignments and post-service informal analysis and discussions with former Senior IDF commanders.

Watch the YouTube interview with Brig. Gen. (US Army retired) John Adams here with following transcript.

Background of General John Adams

John Adams retired as a Brigadier General from the U.S. Army in September 2007, after more than 30 years of active-duty service. His final military assignment was Deputy United States Military Representative to the NATO Military Committee in Belgium. John is a veteran of Operation Desert Storm (1991), where he earned the Bronze Star Medal, of Operation Guardian Assistance in Rwanda (1996), and served throughout the Balkans from 1998-2003. He served as a military attaché with the U.S. Embassies in South Korea, Croatia, Belgium, and Rwanda. In 2004, he served on temporary duty in Iraq and Afghanistan. He was deployed outside the United States for eighteen of his thirty years of active-duty service, including duty in Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and Asia.

He was stationed at the Pentagon on September 11, 2001, and participated in disaster recovery operations at the crash site.

During the past five years, he has participated in unofficial fact-finding missions in Israel, Egypt, Turkey, the Balkans, and Cuba. He has close business relationships with retired officers of the Israeli Defense Forces, several NATO Allies, and is a strong supporter of the U.S. alliance with the State of Israel and NATO.

 Among the major findings in this wide-ranging discussion are:

President Biden mistakenly tagged the proposed pause in fighting between HAMAS and the IDF as a cease fire, when none of the actors – Israel, Qatar, Hamas – agreed. He brazenly told the press and on late night TV talk show that it might happen the weekend before Ramadan, which starts on March 11th.

The President comments were prompted by American Muslim Congressional Democratic representatives in Michigan’s Presidential Primary and local leaders demanding a cease fire in the fighting in Gaza in support of Hamas. Over 101,067 or 13.3% in Michigan voted for “uncommitted” in the Democratic primary.

Key elements of the proposed pause in fighting in Gaza between HAMAS and the IDF include release of 40 hostages, mainly sick and injured women and young people below the age of 19 in exchange for 400 imprisoned Palestinians who have committed crimes in Israel: an increase in humanitarian aid shipments.

Israel’s plan for evacuation of 1.3 million Gazans in Rafah on the Egyptian border was opposed by the US, EU and western allies because of Biden ‘s “Grand Bargain” seeking to achieve peace and normalization of relations in the Arab Middle East. notably between Israel and Saudi Arabia for domestic and international political purposes. In reality, it denies the destruction by Israel of the four remaining HAMAS battalions in Rafah.

The Grand Bargain includes unilateral declaration of a Palestinian State that does not meet the definition of a sovereign state under recognized international definition like the 1933 Montevideo Convention. 80% of Israelis oppose establishment of a Palestinian State on its borders, sought by the failed 1933 Oslo Accords. It would mean the death of the Jewish State of Israel.

The IDF is poised to begin operations in Rafah before Ramadan which starts on March 10th. Israeli Defense Minister Gallant said that the IDF fully anticipates that Hamas might launch “October 7th II” during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.

Urban Warfare experts, John Spencer of the West Point Urban Warfare Institute and Richard E. Kemp former British Commander of British Forces in Afghanistan commend IDF operations in Gaza. They consider IDF’s performance remarkable in the face of an “unprecedented” situation with HAMAS ‘s nearly 400 kilometers of underground tunnels in Gaza, while trying to minimize civilian casualties.

Israeli Prime Minister’s “day after” plan for Gaza includes:

– military control over Gaza.

-establishment of a buffer zone to prevent Oct 7th terror attacks across borders.

-development of local clan civil governance.

-no turnover to the Palestinian Authority which supports the “pay for slay” of Israeli Jews by terrorists and indoctrination of children in extremist Jihadism.

-shut down of the corrupt UNWRA humanitarian agency – reconstruction of Gaza after completion of a de-radicalization program.

A report on Israel’s high tech intelligence Unit 8200 the day following October 7th by former commanders identified deficiencies in assessment and dissemination of critical information that led to the debacle on October 7th. Their interim recommendation was for more human involvement in assessment of signal and cyber coupled with human intelligence to produce credible threat analysis and development of deterrence strategies.

Hezbollah has ramped up rocket, missile and drone attacks across Israel’s Northern and Eastern frontiers with Lebanon and Syria forcing the evacuation of 80,000 Israelis from towns and villages. Hezbollah missiles now cover most of Israel.

Defense Minister Gallant and Northern Command General Gordin believe the IDF capable of deterring Hezbollah threats using air and artillery strikes against rocket and missiles positions and bases. French and EU diplomatic negotiations have failed to remove Hezbollah Redwan forces beyond the Litani river line of UN Resolution 1701 raising question of possible IDF ground operations in Southern Lebanon.

There is no effective US-led coalition deterrence in the Red Sea of Iran’s proxy, the Houthi Rebels in Red Sea equipped with air and submarine drones and ballistic missiles. Iran is close to nuclear weaponization based on reports from the IAEA and Washington-based Institute for Science and International. Israel’s Air Force established an Iran Department to address threats by the Islamic Republic’s proxies in Middle East and its nuclear, missile and drone development and production facilities.

A poll of Iranians revealed overwhelming support (73%) for a secular government on the cusp of national elections against the backdrop of a deteriorating economy. That raises the question of why the US has not developed an effective regime change strategy to free the country’s 84 million diverse population.

The unfortunate self-immolation and death of a US airman outside the Israeli Embassy over alleged genocide in Gaza raises questions about the lack of training, doctrine and counter-intelligence in our military.