Watch the full event It’s time to plan for the long term in the Middle East, said General CQ Brown, Jr., chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. “What do we collectively want this to look like years from now? That’s the work that has to start,” he continued.
The general spoke at an Atlantic Council Front Page event, which was also part of the Forward Defense initiative’s Commanders Series, sponsored by Saab. Brown explained that this forward-looking planning will need to involve “a number of different nations,” including both their militaries and diplomats. Asked about the United States’ role in the conflict, Brown said that the US military would “not necessarily” be involved on the ground to help with security.
“You also have to think about who’s best . . .
to actually work the details on the ground, [who] has the working knowledge,” he said. But he said the US military could leverage experience gained in other situations around the globe to help the postwar process. “We’re always willing to do that to help make it as smooth as possible,” he said.
Below are more highlights from the conversation, moderated by NBC News National Security and Military Correspondent Courtney Kube, during which the general spoke about the Middle East, Ukraine, Africa, and beyond. Addressing crises in the Middle East Brown said that as Israel was planning its operations in Rafah, the United States asked Israeli leaders to account for the civilian population by providi.