Need a price tag for 'Israel's' war? State Department still guessing
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State Department spokesperson Matt Miller has appeared uncertain about key details of US military aid to "Israel" during the war on Gaza.
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State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller answers questions at the State Department on Tuesday, July 18, 2023, in Washington. (AP)
State Department spokesperson Matt Miller seems uncertain about key details regarding US military aid to "Israel" during its war on Gaza, Nick Turse, contributing writer for The Intercept, said.
He admitted not knowing the exact amount of aid provided or how much supplemental funding beyond the usual $3.3 billion has been allocated. While Miller acknowledged additional funds had been approved, he was unclear on the total, saying, "There are different ways of looking at it."
However, Miller firmly rejected the findings of a recent report by the Costs of War Project at Brown University, which calculated at least $22.76 billion in US military aid since October 7, 2023. This figure includes $17.9 billion in security assistance for Israeli military operations and costs related to US operations in the region, such as strikes against Yemen. Miller criticized the report, arguing that it "conflates" US military spending, particularly the $4.86 billion allocated for US Navy operations defending maritime shipping, which he said should not be counted as an aid to "Israel".
US tax dollars fueling Israeli war crimes, potential genocide
William Hartung, a senior research fellow at the Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft and co-author of the Costs of War report, defended the analysis. He told The Intercept that the inclusion of various cost drivers highlights the lack of transparency in US military support for "Israel".
Hartung noted it was telling that while the State Department criticized the report, it could not provide a clear answer on how much the US was spending on Israeli military actions. He emphasized that this lack of transparency is "unacceptable" given the potential for US involvement in the region’s conflicts.
“That was the point — to show how much taxpayers are providing in support of a deeply misguided policy to continue arming Israel even as it commits war crimes that some experts believe can plausibly be called a genocide,” Hartung told The Intercept.
In his report, Turse wrote that the State Department confirmed receiving inquiries from The Intercept concerning the Costs of War report, comments made by spokesperson Matt Miller, and the department’s accounting of US aid to "Israel". However, no response was provided prior to the publication of the article, he further noted.
Dive deeper
Since October 7, 2023, the US has supplied "Israel" with a range of military equipment, including 57,000 artillery shells, 36,000 rounds of cannon ammunition, 20,000 M4A1 rifles, and 13,981 anti-tank missiles.
President Joe Biden recently emphasized, "Make no mistake, the United States is fully, fully, fully supportive of Israel," despite his administration's acknowledgment that "Israel" may have used US weapons in Gaza in violation of international law.
In August, the Biden administration approved five major arms deals for "Israel", including 50 F-15 fighter jets, tank ammunition, tactical vehicles, air-to-air missiles, and 50,000 mortar rounds, totaling over $20 billion. These sales are currently under debate in Congress.
William Hartung, from the Costs of War Project, clarified to the Intercept that the $20 billion in proposed arms sales, which Congress is now contesting, are excluded from their cost estimates.
"We also view the increased U.S. military presence in the region as closely tied to the chaos resulting from Israel's harsh war on Gaza," Hartung concluded.
