the u.s. "arms transfer bureau" behind the flames of war: the key switch for u.s. weapons to reach israel, and the "bloody chain of interests" between government and businessmen has surfaced
2024-10-06
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▲gaza residents escape bombingon a day in january 2024, when palestinians in the gaza strip were experiencing bombing, the u.s. ambassador to israel, jack lew, sent a telegram to washington urging approval to provide 3,000 bombs to israel. although the death toll of civilians in the war zone has climbed to 25,000, the telegram did not mention the grim facts of these civilian casualties. instead, lew emphasized the israel defense forces' "decades-long track record" in avoiding civilian casualties and argued that these new bombs could further target terrorists with greater precision.however, the reality is far less optimistic. in the following months, the israeli army used these american-made gbu-39 precision-guided bombs to bomb palestinian refugee camps and shelters, killing civilians including children.
according to data released by the palestinian gaza strip health department earlier on the 2nd, since the new round of palestinian-israeli conflict broke out in october last year, israeli military operations in the gaza strip have killed more than 41,000 palestinians and injured more than 96,000.
despite this, the u.s. government has not changed its arms support for israel and has even continued to accelerate the supply process. what kind of decision-making chain is hidden behind this?
how did the u.s. state department’s bureau of political and military affairs (also known as the “arms transfer bureau”) become a key conduit for u.s. weapons to continuously enter the gaza strip?
■the u.s. ambassador to israel believes that the united states can reassure israel that it can use gbu-39 bombs to accurately strike targets and avoid civilian casualties.■subsequently, gbu-39 bombs were dropped on refugee camps and schools, killing dozens of palestinians.■despite this, the us government has not changed its arms support for israel and has even continued to speed up the supply process.
a paradoxical logic
precision bombs targeted at "terrorists" were dropped on civilians
ignoring civilian casualties and accelerating the weapons supply process
when a country requests an arms transfer to the u.s. state department, the local embassy (under the jurisdiction of the u.s. state department) will first write a cable, called a "country team assessment," explaining to the u.s. state department whether the country making the arms request is suitable. the bulk of the review is then conducted by the arms transfer directorate, with other agencies also involved.
▲jack lew, u.s. ambassador to israel
the cable shows that u.s. ambassador to israel jack lew and his senior leaders believe that the united states can reassure israel to use these new u.s.-made bombs, known as gbu-39s, which are smaller and more accurate.
jack lew emphasized that the israeli air force has been able to accurately hit targets and avoid civilian casualties when using these bombs for decades. however, this is not the case. gbu-39 bombs were dropped on refugee camps and schools, killing dozens of palestinians. even so, jack lew continued to defend himself in his cable, claiming that the bombs were vital to israel's military operations and that israel had demonstrated its "ability and willingness" to avoid collateral damage.
in the rubble of gaza, weapons analysts found gbu-39 shrapnel.
according to data released by the palestinian gaza strip health department earlier on the 2nd, since the new round of palestinian-israeli conflict broke out in october last year, israeli military operations in the gaza strip have killed more than 41,000 palestinians and injured more than 96,000.
despite this, the u.s. government has not changed its arms support for israel and has even continued to accelerate the supply process.
there are doubts within the u.s. state department. many officials have repeatedly raised objections, believing that israel violates international humanitarian and international law and should suspend arms sales. one of them is josh paul, a former director of the state department's bureau of political-military affairs who repeatedly refused to approve arms sales to israel.
in may 2021, paul refused to approve the sale of fighter jets to the israeli air force. “at a time when the israeli air force is blowing up civilian apartment buildings in gaza,” paul wrote in an email, “i cannot approve this order.” in february of the following year, amnesty international published a report accusing the israeli authorities of practicing apartheid. after the report, he refused to approve another arms deal. in both cases, his immediate supervisor approved the sale over his objections.
■behind this, in addition to the fact that the united states has been a staunch ally of israel for decades, there is also the deep promotion of arms contractors and lobbying groups.■many senior officials within the state council who were responsible for supervising arms sales joined these lobbying companies after leaving their jobs, forming a chain of interests.■a former israeli official said: “this is a business.”
a "bloody chain of interests" between officials and businessmen
arms contractors and lobbying powerbehind the scenes push
resigned senior officials join to create a secret network of government and business interests
the investigation revealed that behind the push for these weapons sales were not only diplomatic and political considerations, but also strong pressure from u.s. arms contractors and lobbying groups. whenever arms sales encounter obstacles, arms contractors and lobbyists quickly step in to exert influence on state department officials and members of congress to ensure that the arms transactions proceed smoothly. even within the state department, many senior officials who were once responsible for supervising arms sales joined these lobbying companies after leaving their jobs, forming a chain of interests.
▲israel’s actions in gaza caused numerous civilian casualties
at the israeli consulate in new york, weapons procurement officials occupy two floors and process hundreds of sales each year. a former israeli official who worked there said he tried to buy as many weapons as possible, while his american counterparts worked just as hard to sell them. "this is a business," he said.
behind the scenes, if government officials take too long on a deal, big business lobbyists, some of whom have held key positions as state department regulators, step in to apply pressure and move the deal forward.
at least six senior officials in the state department's arms transfer bureau have left in recent years to join lobbying firms and military contractors. jessica lewis, the bureau's assistant secretary, resigned in july and took a job at washington's largest lobbying firm.
paul kelly served as the state department's senior congressional affairs official from 2001 to 2005, when the united states was invading iraq and afghanistan. he said the private sector often "pressured him" and "they wouldn't bribe me or threaten me, but they would say 'when are you going to approve it and submit it to congress'."
three other state department officials who currently or recently worked on military aid said companies profiting from the wars in gaza and ukraine frequently called or emailed. once councilors are notified of the impending sale, pressure also reaches councillors' offices. those include frequent phone calls and regular daytime meetings, according to an official familiar with communications.
emails show that a raytheon vice president who once served as a senior official in the state department's arms transfer bureau directly contacted his former colleagues in an attempt to promote an "order" for precision-guided missiles. although this direct pressure approach came close to violating u.s. federal anti-lobbying laws, the u.s. state department ultimately approved the deal.
■ former u.s. diplomat in jerusalem mike casey said the unwritten policy is to "protect israel from scrutiny" and facilitate the flow of weapons.■paul, the former director of the bureau of political and military affairs of the us state department, has repeatedly warned that the us government’s “blind support” for israel and loopholes in its arms sales policy will result in the us government’s inability to control israel’s military operations.
a future that is about to get out of control
several u.s. state department officials resigned because they disagreed with the arms transfer policy
“the u.s. government will not be able to control israeli military operations”
▲biden and netanyahu
despite mounting civilian casualties from israeli airstrikes in gaza, senior state department officials continued to approve arms sales, and even internal memos of dissent from experts failed to change policy. this disregard for dissent reflects the u.s. government’s priorities in arms sales and middle east diplomacy: protecting israel from international scrutiny and keeping arms supply channels open.
mike casey, a former u.s. diplomat in jerusalem, said the unwritten policy is to "protect israel from scrutiny" and facilitate the flow of arms regardless of how many israeli human rights abuses reports expose. "we cannot admit that this is a problem," the former official said.
as the u.s. state department’s most proficient expert in the field of arms sales, paul, the former director of the bureau of political and military affairs, wrote helplessly in a dissent memorandum in 2021 that the u.s. government has historically been unable to adhere to its own standards, “in the face of emerging threats from partners, industry, and within the government. pressure from policy requirements.”
in the end, paul resigned in protest against the arms transfer, becoming the first senior official in the biden administration to publicly resign in protest after the outbreak of the current round of palestinian-israeli conflict. before and after his resignation, he repeatedly warned that the u.s. government’s “blind support” for israel and loopholes in its arms sales policy would result in the u.s. government’s inability to control israel’s military operations. since then, several state department officials have resigned voluntarily because they disagreed with u.s. policies.
behind the flow of weapons is the struggle for power, interests and morality, and the civilians who sacrificed their lives in the war may be the biggest victims of this game.
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