GOP senator rejects defense secretary's argument that more civilian casualties in Gaza could worsen insurgency

US Senator Lindsey Graham rejected Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin's argument that more civilian casualties in Gaza could lead to even more rebels and "replace a strategic defeat with a tactical victory."

The Republican senator described Austin as "naive" and said he had "lost all confidence" in him.

“Will strategic defeat infuriate Palestinians? They are already burnt. They are taught from birth to hate Jews and kill them,” Graham claimed on CNN – asking Austin to “stop criticizing Israel publicly.”

"Secretary Austin is telling Israel things that are impossible to achieve," Graham said. "Secretary Austin, the reason Palestinians are dying: Gaza is so dense, Hamas has tunnels under apartments, under schools, under hospitals."

Graham said he understood the principle of what retired General Stanley McChrystal has called "rebel mathematics", an idea that civilian deaths concomitant with war can be a catalyst for creating rebels, but he argued that Gaza's population "Has been radicalized for decades."

"Do you know what they teach in schools?" Graham asked the question. “The idea that somehow we or Israel are radicalizing people in Gaza is ridiculous.”

“If we were attacked like we were on 9/11, if someone called us for a ceasefire against al-Qaeda within two months, we would have driven them out of the city, we would have Would have been chased out of the city. City," He also criticized Vice President Kamala Harris' Saturday statement that "too many innocent Palestinians have been killed."

He said, "Vice President Harris, tell Israel how to destroy Hamas so that innocent Palestinians are not harmed, and I will take it forward." He said, "By the way, no Republican believes it." "No Republican is asking Israel to change its military strategy."

Aid to Israel: Meanwhile, he said he would support a bill to aid Israel and Ukraine if the US immigration restrictions he and his GOP colleagues have advocated are not included in the proposed legislation. Will not vote.

"I think there are votes for Israel in addition to the package," he argued. “Republicans overwhelmingly support Israel – so do most Democrats. Republicans are divided on Ukraine.