I think you’re reading it the wrong way. I read it that the Jews got over on the Muslim. Remember, it was the Muslim that was spewing hate and diatribe to the Jewish merchant that General Jones could not repeat.
Think of this, if it was told while Gen Jones was an official with the Bush administration and the Huffington Post was making a big deal about it, would you agree with them and continue to pile on? If you were honest with yourself, the answer is no. And you would not be over analyzing this like you are doing now.
No, even an ounce of realism should tell anyone that it will be seen as an affirmation of all the reasons that they hate and murder Jews. An American General should be confronting our enemies not humoring their bigotry.
(Am late into this discussion, sorry but HAD to chime in...)
If Jones had said this while serving in the Bush admin, I’d have groaned out loud and felt he deserved any criticism he’d get - I do not pay govt officials to tell lame, questionable, inappropriate jokes on my time! If this is SOP for Jones, I’m amazed he’s gotten as far as he has with this bad judgement...oh wait, he’s in the Obambi admin...never mind...