Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin has ordered a limited number of U.S. troops to prepare for deployment in support of Israel, as reported by multiple sources.
Approximately 2,000 troops have been selected to be on standby for advisory and medical assistance.
The troops will be drawn from various branches of the U.S. military, including those already stationed in the Middle East and nearby Europe.
While their specific units and deployment locations have not been disclosed, it has been emphasized that they will not have a combat role.
The U.S. is extending support to Israel, which is engaged in a conflict with Hamas, primarily focusing on intelligence and planning assistance for potential hostage rescue operations.
Whatever anyone says about the historical context aside, in the plainest of terms this war began with an enormous assault by Hamas against Israel, and so the US is bound by treaty to assist - whether they like it or not.
I doubt the pentagon made this decision ignoring the wider context and long-term motivations of all parties involved, and I think it would be a mistake to reduce any conflict in the world to such a simple equation.
Also, does Israel have a defence treaty with the US? This is a genuine question. I was under the impression there was only a tax treaty, and Israel isn’t a member of NATO either, which I thought would exclude that.
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It was because I used the search term “us israel treaty” and it came up with tax treaty results, when apparently it’s called a “bilateral defense cooperation agreement” or “Strategic Partnership Joint Declaration”. I apologise for not being fully informed on the differences between those concepts beforehand, and not knowing that the word ‘treaty’ would not be applicable in a situation where the word ‘treaty’ was being used to describe it.
Thanks for also reminding me that I shouldn’t ask questions unless 100% healthy.
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