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The next is a transcript of an interview with retired Marine Basic Frank McKenzie, who was commander of U.S. Central Command from 2019-2022, that aired on “Face the Nation” on Oct. 15, 2023.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Retired Basic Frank McKenzie final served because the commander of US Central Command and oversaw navy operations within the Center East, Central Asia, components of South Asia. And he joins us now from Tampa, Florida. Good morning to you, Basic.
GEN. FRANK MCKENZIE: Good morning, Margaret.
MARGARET BRENNAN: We need to get your perspective as to the very dynamic scenario on the bottom. Earlier in the present day, after I spoke with Jake Sullivan, the Nationwide Safety Adviser, he mentioned there was no particular change in intelligence that led the US to ship that second plane service to the jap Mediterranean. However he mentioned there’s a actual threat of the State of Iran getting concerned. How do you see that risk proper now?
GEN. MCKENZIE: So, I feel that the second service is designed to ship a powerful message to Iran that now we have the- that- that they are not going to have the ability to act with malice to get into this battle. We wish to maintain them out of it. What the second service does, together with the ships which can be related to each of these huge debt carriers, is it provides a ballistic missile protection functionality to Israel, ought to Iran elect to fireplace their massive secure of ballistic missiles towards Israel. We would be able to help Israel in intercepting them, which might then enable Israel to conduct different duties. Largely, although, it will increase flexibility and choices for our president, ought to he have to do one thing within the area.
MARGARET BRENNAN: So, a US official advised our David Martin this morning {that a} Marine Expeditionary Unit, which had been conducting an train in Kuwait is again on board a ship within the Purple Sea ready to listen to about motion into the jap Mediterranean. Does that signify something extra to you?
GEN. MCKENZIE: I feel it is all a part of the identical factor. What we need to do is ship a powerful sign, I feel, to Iran, and to Lebanese Hezbollah, notably up in Lebanon, that now is just not the time to enter this battle. I feel the Israelis have the capabilities they should conduct their Gaza operation. However I feel what we’re actually attempting to do is stop the battle from widening right now. And I feel all these actions are designed to ascertain that.
MARGARET BRENNAN: So, give us a way right here. You realize, Israel is a really superior navy. They’ve a variety of know-how, they’ve a variety of surveillance energy, however then they simply have this large intelligence failure. So, as they’re about to launch this floor invasion, what are the issues which can be of concern to you about how that is going to play out?
GEN. MCKENZIE: Effectively, first, Margaret, I feel once we return and have a look at what occurred within the run as much as the assaults final weekend, we’re gonna discover that there have been indicators there. You at all times look again in hindsight, you could find issues that have been evident, issues that you need to have seen. So, I feel that that can in all probability humble the intel guys a little bit bit as we have a look at going into Gaza. The Gaza drawback is a extraordinarily tough city atmosphere. City preventing is preventing the place know-how is- the power of a technology- technologically superior drive is- begins to be restricted, since you’re in very shut quarters with a possible enemy. You are preventing on the bottom, you are preventing beneath the bottom in sewers and within the elaborate tunnel system that Hamas has erected, and also you’re preventing low stage altitude. It- now Israel has clear air supremacy over Gaza, however we should always count on Hamas to attempt to fly drones, even because the Israelis will fly their massive stock of extremely succesful drones. So, it should be a really bloody, robust, ugly combat. And it should come right down to an infantry combat, younger women and men at very shut quarters.
MARGARET BRENNAN: And Israel would not have a variety of current expertise in that form of preventing. The US does in Iraq, definitely in Fallujah, the Marines did. Is that the form of recommendation that you just suppose the US navy is offering to the Israeli navy proper now, how to try this form of city warfare?
GEN. MCKENZIE: I am positive it’s. Though, the Israelis, I do know, have completed quite a lot of occupied with it. Their- their important battle tank, the Merkava, is a tank that’s optimized for city warfare, has the engine in entrance, which- which not a variety of tanks on the earth do, has a real compartment for carrying troops in again. The Israelis have given us a variety of thought and I’ve excessive regard for the IDF and their skill to prosecute this combat. We simply want to comprehend it should be a- it should be an ugly- an unsightly affair. It should drag on in all probability longer than folks need. Israel goes to go to nice lengths to avoid- keep away from collateral civilian casualties. Hamas goes to go to nice lengths to kill extra civilians, to position them immediately in hurt’s approach, in order that they’ll revenue within the info sphere.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Israel’s protection minister mentioned Israel will not shoot civilians on objective. However the camouflage of the terrorists is the civilian inhabitants. How- how tough is it going to be to keep away from massive scale civilian casualties? That’s going to place a variety of stress on the world to get Israel to be very cautious within the coming weeks.
GEN. MCKENZIE: Margaret, you are proper and I consider that Israel will go to nice lengths to keep away from civilian casualties. The very fact of the matter is, although, there are going to be civilian casualties, principally as a result of Hamas goes to create circumstances, for instance, by basing their rockets in faculties and mosques and hospitals, and different areas the place civilians are gathered. They’ll- they will create each alternative for civilian casualties to happen. So, Israel goes to must work very exhausting at this, and so they’re not going to be good. There- errors are definitely going to be made. And it is tragic to foretell it now, however civilians are going to die. However I feel there is a clear philosophical distinction between the 2 actors right here. Israel goes to hunt to attenuate these casualties. Hamas is just not going to hunt to attenuate these casualties. So, there is not any sense of equivalence on this combat.
MARGARET BRENNAN: The US has troops in Syria and Iraq, a small quantity. What would draw the US into it?
GEN. MCKENZIE: I feel we might search to remain out of it as finest we may. I feel now we have undoubtedly despatched messages on the diplomatic stage, concerning the pressured safety and the safety of our forces in Iraq and Syria. And I consider that the- transferring the 2 carriers into the area sends a really sturdy sign. There’s ample historic proof that Iran respects the circulate of fight forces into the theater. It does have an effect on their determination calculus. And as Iran’s determination calculus is affected, so is Lebanese Hezbollah’s calculus affected.
MARGARET BRENNAN: I need to ask you about one thing that former President Trump mentioned on Wednesday. He mentioned, in regard to the drone strike that took out Qasem Soleimani, the top of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard in January 2020. He mentioned Israel pulled out of the operation and quote, “Bibi Netanyahu allow us to down, that was a really horrible factor.” Did Israel pull out and let America down?
GEN. MCKENZIE: Margaret, I- unable to know of any communication, in fact, between President Trump and Prime Minister Netanyahu. However I can let you know that this was a US operation.
MARGARET BRENNAN: So, that may imply that is not correct.
GEN. MCKENZIE: That will imply that this was a US operation. It concerned solely US forces within the operational design and the execution of the mission.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Understood. You- whenever you have been with us just lately mentioned that “Iran is probably the most vital risk to peace within the area.” Iran’s supreme chief says his nation didn’t play a job within the Hamas assault on Israel. Do you purchase that?
GEN. MCKENZIE: I- I consider it is seemingly they didn’t know the date or time of this explicit assault. However Iran, by supporting Hamas with a whole lot of hundreds of thousands of {dollars} down by the years, by offering them with gear, by offering them with coaching, and- and by supporting their ideology, is definitely the ethical creator of this assault, even when they did not know the precise time- the precise timing of this explicit assault.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Do you suppose this may have interaction the State of Iran on this combat finally?
GEN. MCKENZIE: I feel we’ll attempt very exhausting to maintain Iran out of it. And I feel the actions the administration have taken are all good to that finish. I feel once more, Iran respects energy. We’re flowing energy again into the area, and I feel it can impact them.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Basic McKenzie, thanks in your insights.
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