(An American Veteran’s Perspective)
Malevolence Beyond Belief only begins to describe the unthinkable atrocities committed against innocent Israelis 6 months ago, on October 7th. On that fateful day, shortly after sunrise, nearly 3,000 Hamas terrorists invaded southern Israel from the depths of Gaza while firing thousands of rockets into Israel. The consequences of that cruel assault boggle the mind: the invading terrorists murdered, tortured, raped, and burned nearly 1,200 Israelis and captured another 260. Among those captured is Kfir Bibas, then a 9-month-old baby who is still held captive along with his mother, father, and 4-year-old brother.
I am a proud American and U.S. veteran who has always felt close to Israel. My religious upbringing and, to a larger extent, my years in the Marine Corps as a F/A-18 pilot have helped me appreciate the Jewish State and recognize the unwavering bond between our two nations. Indeed, it is a bond not just between two like-minded governments but between Israelis and my fellow Americans, regardless of religious or political beliefs. The events of October 7th have only made me more passionate about my support for Israel and its continued fight for survival, and propelled me to visit for the first time in my life in March 2024.
During my visit, I saw one of the hardest-hit Kibbutzim, which lost nearly 15% of its members. There, I saw a kindergarten with blood-stained walls that were riddled with bullets and scores of homes and buildings burnt to the ground. My guide grew up in this Kibbutz and knew every THE U.S. MUST STAND WITH ISRAEL (An American Veteran’s Perspective) murdered resident as well as those taken hostage. I volunteered at an Israel IDF base for a week, during which I met and spoke with IDF soldiers fresh from fighting on the streets of Gaza. These soldiers, many of whom were just teenagers, were thankful they got assigned to front-line combat units and felt sorry for those who were not combatants or otherwise not qualified for military service.
In addition, I visited with severely wounded IDF Soldiers going through rehabilitation at the SHEBA Medical Center outside of Tel Aviv. They all had a sense of pride for Israel and were thankful that they had the opportunity to fight the evil that invaded their country on October 7th. The vast majority expressed a deep desire to return to combat and fight with their friends.
It got me thinking about my own country. These young Israeli soldiers’ mindsets, both men and women, reminded me of the American servicemen from WWII. America today has a lot to learn from the Israeli people and their sense of national pride and understanding of the need for a strong and aggressive military to fight this evil in often unconventional ways. The IDF has evolved and adapted after fighting for decades and is now writing the book on urban warfare, including its unprecedented measures taken to limit civilian casualties, compared with Hamas and Hezbollah terrorists who hide behind their own mothers and children.
As Americans, our sense of entitlement has taken over our desperately needed feelings of national pride. The adage that Freedom is not Free holds true with any democracy, and it seems the moment of test for the U.S. is nearby. The growing political divide, bureaucratic corruption, and invasion of our southern border are all grave warning signs and a wake-up call to us all. Moreover, 77% of young American men aged 18-24 are not qualified either mentally or physically to serve in our military, with every branch continuing to fall far short of its recruiting quotas except for the Marine Corps.
One thing was abundantly clear to me: Israel’s existential war is every bit as ours, and we need to realize, as Americans, that this evil is not going away. These forces of terror and malevolence will not stop with Israel and the Jewish people, as their radical Islamic beliefs perpetuate hatred for Jews, Christians, and other infidels across the globe. This war is already on America’s doorstep: our open southern border facilitates Hamas and Hezbollah terrorists to enter our country, as some reports have already indicated. Unfortunately, it is not a matter of “If” we will be murderously attacked, but of “When” – unless we immediately and fully recognize the seriousness of this unconventional war we are in and do everything in our power, as Israel is committed to doing, to eradicate those forces from the earth once and for all.
Calling for a cease-fire in Gaza is simply a ruse aimed at Hamas’ survival, allowing them to regroup, re-arm, and attack Israel, as they have clearly stated numerous times. Sadly, the recent statements made by our own Administration show they do not fully understand the gravity of the situation at hand. Imagine having your house on fire and extinguishing only 75% of the fire, then foolishly thinking that would be enough.
The Islamic Republic of Iran is the root of this evil and they have openly and brazenly called for the destruction of Israel. It is important to note that Iran is working feverishly to develop a nuclear weapon, assuming they have not already done so. Israel needs to contend with Iran’s armed forces, estimated at about 960,000, plus their proxies of roughly 30,000 Hamas terrorists in Gaza and nearly 130,000 Hezbollah fighters based primarily in Lebanon. This does not include the thousands of fighters and terrorists supported and funded in Syria, Iraq, and Yemen.
Now is the time to recognize and coalesce against this force of evil we are all faced with and accept nothing less than its complete destruction, beginning with permanently strangling the Iranian economy from where most of their support, funds and hatred originate.
This is a battle between good and evil, and it encompasses us all in the Free World: Israel, Europe, and the USA, whether one chooses to acknowledge it or not.
It is as simple as that, and so is the need to do the right thing, not just by Israel, but by the U.S.:
AMERICA, PLEASE STAND AS ONE WITH ISRAEL.
About the Author:
Chris Miller runs a global private debt fund with clients across the world to include the Middle East and Israel. He has experience working for U.S. based defense companies in filling urgent need requests in Iraq and Afghanistan and is a USMC veteran and former F/A-18 pilot. He is a graduate of Denison University (B.A.) and Columbia University (MBA) and currently resides in Atlanta, Georgia.