US Weapons Fuelling Terrorism In Supposed American Allies: From India To Israel, What Is Happening?

US Weapons Fuelling Terrorism In Supposed American Allies: From India To Israel, What Is Happening?

According to reports, American weaponry were utilized in the most recent bloodshed in Israel and are in the hands of the Palestinian terrorist organization Hamas. Additionally, weapons developed in the US have been found on militants in Kashmir. How are the US weapons being employed against the closest allies of America?

A horrific reality was shown by the recent bloodshed in Israel, as Hamas militants penetrated the nation, mercilessly killed innocent Israelis, as well as kidnapped hundreds of people. Videos of these attacks’ aftermath not only showed the carnage, but they also showed the attackers wielding American-made weaponry, namely M14 assault rifles. In Kashmir, where terrorist groups like Jaish-e-Mohammad and Lashkar-e-Taiba have been discovered with weapons and ammunition developed in the US, a similar pattern has been noticed.

This unsettling situation prompts urgent inquiries into how such cutting-edge weaponry, meant for national defence, are ending up in the hands of terrorist organizations. The consequences are twofold: not only does it put the security and stability of areas that are important to American interests in danger, but it also calls into question the efficacy of American foreign policy as well as arms control initiatives.

The use of American weaponry against close allies highlights the geopolitical landscape’s complexities. Strategic relationships, similar interests, as well as shared political values underpin the mutually beneficial partnership between the United States, Israel, and India. The infiltration of US-made guns into the hands of groups actively antagonistic to these friends, on the other hand, raises questions about the reliable nature of US friendship, efficiency of American arms export controls and the necessity for stringent monitoring procedures.

US Congresswoman Raises Concerns Over Origin of US-Made Weapons Used by Hamas in Israel Conflict

A significant query has surfaced on the global scene amid the current confrontation between Israel and Hamas: where did the US-made weapons utilized by the Palestinian terrorist organization come from? A full examination into the origin of these weapons has been demanded by Republican Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene, sparking rumours that they may have been obtained in Afghanistan or Ukraine.

Greene expressed her worries on social media on Sunday. In order to track the serial numbers of the US weapons used by Hamas in its strikes against Israel, she recommended collaboration between the US and Israel. Greene questioned whether these weapons may have come from either Ukraine, where the US has been supplying weaponry to help in the fight against the Russian incursion, or Afghanistan, where a sizable arsenal was left behind following the abrupt US withdrawal in August 2021. Although there is no verified evidence to back up Greene’s accusations, a video message purportedly from a Hamas agent thanking Ukraine for the weaponry has been circulated, according to the Russian media platform Russia Today.

“We need to work with Israel to track serial numbers on any U.S. weapons used by Hamas against Israel. Did they come from Afghanistan? Did they come from Ukraine? Highly likely the answer is both,” the congresswoman tweeted on X.

In the meantime, the number of those killed in the ongoing war has skyrocketed, with over 1,100 deaths recorded on Monday. The tragic death toll includes more than 700 in Israel and 400 in the Gaza Strip, along with thousands of injuries. When Hamas launched a significant aerial strike on Israel, firing over 5,000 missiles, which was followed by an incursion into southern Israel, the battle intensified. According to reports, Palestinian insurgents entered Israel as early as 7:40 am and attacked a number of military targets, including the Erez border crossing, the Zikim camp, as well as the Reim headquarters of the Gaza division.

Hamas videos that were made available portrayed captured Israeli troops being paraded through Gaza’s streets and militants taking over a military installation. Israel retaliated by declaring war on Hamas and launching Operation “Swords of Iron,” which involved heavy airstrikes against Hamas targets in Gaza. With a focus on a strong military response to the continued attacks, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu threatened to completely dismantle Hamas.

Unearthing America’s Dark Legacy: US Dumped Weapons in Afghanistan

Recent findings about the origins of US-made weapons that have been utilized by Hamas in Israel and earlier by terrorists in Kashmir have revealed a troubling pattern of weapon misuse. However, this is not the first time that American weapons have ended up in the hands of terrorists. The United States, the world’s greatest manufacturer and exporter of weapons, has a history of dumping weaponry into conflict zones, frequently with unintended results. War is enormous business, although it’s a terrible business that kills thousands of people all over the globe every year. The United States, the world’s greatest manufacturer and supplier of weapons and military equipment, is at the heart of this massive industry.  

According to a report released in March 2023 by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (Sipri), US exported weapons rose by 14% between 2013–17 and 2018–22, and they made up forty per cent of all international arms exports during that time. The US has historically supplied armaments to numerous battle theaters, much like it has done with Ukraine during its conflict with Russia. Another such military theater where the US poured in billions of dollars’ worth of weapons and defense gear was its battle in Afghanistan against the Taliban after the 9/11 attacks. However, no foreign force has ever found Afghanistan to be a simple territory. The US-led Nato effort also became unworkable after the Soviet Russia invasion in 1988.

The Taliban and then-US President Donald Trump entered into a peace agreement in February 2020, which included a May 2021 deadline for the withdrawal of all foreign troops from Afghanistan. Trump’s successor, President Joe Biden, reaffirmed his commitment to the troop pullout but delayed the deadline to August 31. Given that Taliban fighters had already seized control of the majority of Afghanistan by that point and that US troops were rushing to depart the war-torn nation, the pullout of foreign troops was chaotic, to put it very simply.

Chaos followed the US exit from Afghanistan, a country that has historically been difficult for foreign invaders, leaving behind billions of dollars’ worth of American weapons and defence supplies. Over $7 billion worth of military aircraft, ground vehicles, high-tech weapons, and other types of military equipment were abandoned in the haste to flee the war-ravaged nation, much of it ending up in the possession of the Taliban.

The Taliban reportedly took the control of US-funded equipment worth $7.12 billion in August 2022, according to a report released by the US Department of Defense, including Black Hawk as well as other helicopters, US Humvees, ScanEagle military drones, M16 assault rifles, and M4 carbines. Since then, these weapons have entered conflict areas, including those in Israel, Kashmir, and maybe other regions, posing a serious threat to nations aiming for peace and stability.

The possibility that some of these weapons may have been among the stunning 70,000 automatic machine guns left behind for the Taliban is even more concerning. The monitoring and accountability of US arms distribution programs have come under scrutiny in light of this disclosure as well as the recent finding of M4 assault rifles developed in the United States in the possession of Palestinian militants.

Former President Donald Trump’s son, Donald Trump Jr., raised the matter, highlighting the presence of American-made weaponry in conflicts far from their original deployment zones. This emphasizes the urgency of the problem, as weaponry designed for specific combat battles are being repurposed for acts of terror as well as aggression against countries such as Israel and India, both essential US allies.

US-Based Weapons in Kashmir, India

The then-chief of the Indian Army, General MM Naravane, raised a concerning trend during the Raisina Dialogue the previous year: the rise in the quantity of weapons and military hardware from Afghanistan being impounded in Kashmir. This alarming information revealed that militants in the Kashmir Valley were using steel-core bullets as well as night-vision eyewear that had been abandoned by US-led NATO troops in Afghanistan. Encounters where American armour-piercing shots penetrated the bulletproof vests worn by Indian security officers served as additional evidence of the gravity of the situation.

Alarm bells went out when advanced weapons, such as M4s and M16s, were discovered in Kashmiri terrorists’ possession. According to Indian authorities mentioned by NBC News in January, these armaments can be traced back to US-funded weapons that came into the hands of the Taliban following the precipitous American withdrawal from Afghanistan. The appearance of US-made M-series carbine weapons in 2020 was particularly worrying, since it significantly exceeded the capabilities of the previously popular AK-series rifles that were employed by terrorists in the region.

Experts believe Pakistan is the source of these M4 carbines, a sort of weapon used by its own military. With reports indicating booming weapons markets in Pakistan, particularly the notorious one in Darra Adam Khel, near Peshawar, Pakistan’s involvement raises major doubts regarding the origin as well as the distribution channels linked to these American weapons.  Anwaar ul Haq Kakar, the caretaker prime minister of Pakistan, revealed that US military supplies, including weapons and night-vision goggles, had been obtained by the Pakistani Taliban, also known as the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). This made the dangerous situation much worse.

The increase in US-made firearms in Kashmir has been attributed to the purported black-market trade that the Taliban supported, a claim that the Islamic group adamantly refutes. What is more worrying is the information that the majority of the weapons found in Kashmir can be linked to the renowned terrorist groups Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) as well as Jaish-e-Muhammad (JeM), who have carried out several assaults in the area.

Is what happened in Israel, where Hamas terrorists committed a carnage, the same thing? Numerous experts are calling for a thorough inquiry since it appears likely.

British MP Jim Ferguson also tweeted a picture of Taliban fighters brandishing American weapons and connected it to the Hamas attack on Israel. “A high-ranking Israel Defense Forces (IDF) commander said US weapons left in Afghanistan by the Biden administration were found in the hands of Palestinian groups active in the Gaza Strip,” said Ferguson.

On October 5, only two days before the Hamas attack that claimed the lives of over 500 Israelis, the Israel Defense Forces tweeted a picture of an M-16 weapon they had captured from a pair of terrorists who attacked an Israeli security forces vehicle. A sophisticated assault rifle made in the US called the M-16 was given to Afghanistan. The concern has persisted for several months. According to a Newsweek report from May of this year, an unnamed commander of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) expressed fear that weaponry provided to Ukraine by the US as well as other western nations would find their way to Israel’s regional adversaries.

The Israeli officer expressed his concern to Newsweek, saying, “We are very worried that some of these capabilities are going to fall to Hezbollah and Hamas’ hands.” The Israeli commander was especially concerned about Iran. The Israeli officer claimed that some of the US-made small guns found in Afghanistan had already been spotted with Gaza-based Palestinian terrorist organizations. Videos posted on social media show Gaza Strip residents celebrating the attack on Israel with firearms, including M16 and M4 rifles, which have been conclusively confirmed as American arms by specialists.

Demanding US Accountability in the Face of Global Terrorism

The recent occurrences of US-made weaponry showing up in conflicts, both in Israel and Kashmir, have cast an incredibly lengthy and very dark shadow over America’s promises of unwavering associations and friendliness with its allies. It is impossible to exaggerate the importance of responsibility in the arms trade in today’s increasingly complex political environment. These cases, in which defence-oriented American weapons have regrettably been used in terrorist attacks, call for immediate investigation and a firm response from the United States of America.

Global politics, it is clear, is a complex web of alliances, interests, as well as shifting dynamics. The US must understand the seriousness of the issue when its own weapons are used against its allies in such a setting. There are serious concerns about the integrity of American foreign policy in light of the ongoing confrontations in Israel and the haunting memory of comparable events in Kashmir. The US must ensure a clear and unambiguous stance against terrorism that stems from its arsenal while the world watches, and it must also accept responsibility for the misuse of its weapons.

As an important participant on the global playing field, the United States has a lot of influence over peace and security. But with that power comes a duty to protect the countries it considers allies. It is not just a choice, but a moral obligation, for the United States to acknowledge the unintended effects of its arms exports, publicly denounce terrorism committed with its own weapons, and take effective action to stop similar incidents in the future.

The US must provide an exemplary example in these troubled times as conflicts worsen and terrorism rears its ugly head. It must respect the ideals it advocates on a global scale and show steadfast dedication to preventing the improper use of its weapons. The United States can only restore its credibility, maintain the confidence of its allies, and effectively contribute to a safer, more secure world via unambiguous accountability as well as determined action. Now more than ever, the United States needs to take a stand in front of the entire world.