By Muhammad Sulaiman
The U.S. Army has suspended Colonel Nathan McCormack following controversial remarks in which he described Israel as “our worst ‘ally,’” igniting a firestorm of political and military reaction.
In a statement made during a closed-door security forum that was later leaked online, Col. McCormack reportedly said: “Israel is our worst ‘ally.’ We get literally nothing out of the ‘partnership’ other than the enmity of millions of people in the Middle East, Africa and Asia.”
The Pentagon confirmed McCormack’s suspension on Tuesday, stating that the remarks are under formal review for possible violations of the Uniform Code of Military Justice and Department of Defence policies on political expression.
“While service members are entitled to personal opinions, public statements by active-duty officers that could affect diplomatic relations are taken seriously,” a Defence Department official said on condition of anonymity.
Col. McCormack, a senior officer with experience in multiple overseas deployments, has not yet commented publicly, but sources close to him say he stands by his critique and views it as a matter of strategic honesty.
His suspension has drawn sharply divided reactions. Critics called his comments inflammatory and damaging to U.S.-Israel relations, while supporters praised his candour, arguing that Washington’s unconditional support for Israel has long gone unquestioned within military circles.
The incident adds to a broader debate in Washington over the costs and consequences of U.S. foreign policy in the Middle East, especially amid ongoing international criticism of Israel’s actions in Gaza and Iran.