HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, Fla. – Robert “Rocky” Rochford, a retired U.S. Navy Commodore and Captain, discussed the state of Israel with Tampa Free Press. Rochford was just interviewed by ABC News and is holding a military rally today from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. in the former CVS store at the corner of Kennedy Boulevard and Dale Mabry.
Rochford was asked several questions.
Q: What is your response to Kathy Castor’s votes and Congressional arguments regarding Israel’s plight with terrorism?
A: Castor has clearly articulated her stance by not funding Israel and not denouncing Hamas and their actions on October 7th . I am truly surprised that the Jewish community here in Tampa can’t see her for what she really is – a Socialist-Communist. Trevor Louden has documented her stance on socialism, but those who support her just turn a blind eye. This country is on the precipice of falling into a socialist canyon. And I believe we are not far from a point of no return. Close to 30 percent of Gen Zers think socialism is a good thing. I have traveled the world and seen socialism and communism up close and personal. That is one of the reasons I am running for Congress – to fight against socialism, and two, to unseat a known socialist from retaining her seat and voting against the will of the people!
Q: What is your response to the Biden-Harris administration’s reactions, support and points of view to Israel’s defense actions?
A: The Biden-Harris administration is inept. They have no concept of what international policy should even look like. If in Congress, I would have voted to support Israel financially and, at the same time, told Biden and Harris to sit down and be quiet. Israel has the right to defend its very existence. Iran and all their proxies need to be bombed back to the stone age. These cultures date back thousands of years, and when Americans think they know how Israel and Iran should behave, they are truly ignorant of the culture. I want to hold every professor who even implied that Israel should be destroyed be held accountable under the law. They are all guilty of felony hate speech. There must be consequences for all of this antisemitic discourse.
Q: Some politicians criticize Israel’s approach to defense against Hamas, Hezbollah, and their sponsor, Iran. Based on your military leadership experience, what are your views?
A: I have had the pleasure of working alongside the IDF many times across my 33-year career. I think what most people don’t realize is that Israel is fighting for its very existence. Iran has vowed to wipe Israel off the map! There are those who also refuse to acknowledge that October 7th even happened. Hamas is a terrorist organization that is funded and armed by Iran. They are Palestinians who want land that they never owned, the respect they never earned, and death for all Israelis.
There is a reason why not ONE Palestinian is living as a refugee in any of the surrounding countries (Egypt, Jordan, Syria, Lebanon, Iraq, and Turkey). They are not liked. Egypt, directly bordering Gaza, has a 20-foot border security wall with sensors to keep out militants and prevent weapons smuggling. Unfortunately, most Palestinians support the Hamas. It is for this reason that Israel needs to completely obliterate Hamas – not the Palestinian people – Hamas. The Hamas terrorists hide in hospitals, apartment buildings, and in schools to use the innocent as shields.
Q: Describe your relationships and interactions with the Israeli Defense Forces.
A: In 2006, when Hezbollah attacked Israel, the United States conducted a NEO (Non-combatant Evacuation Operation). We evacuated US citizens who agreed to leave Lebanon. I was a part of the CAT (Crisis Action Team) that coordinated the evacuation from Bahrain. We were in constant contact with the IDF to ensure no fratricide (the killing of one’s own forces in war). The IDF are an extremely professional military force and I enjoyed working with them during this NEO and other classified operations.
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