by Prof. Abraham Ben-Zvi
-- upgrading Israel's strategic position during this tumultuous time, when the disastrous results of the Obama administration's soft power policies are becoming evident, is not just a necessary move given Iran's expected military reinforcement -- it is necessary so as to serve broader American interests in the region
Despite the opposition
the nuclear deal with Iran has aroused among the American public, it
seems Capitol Hill has already made its decision. The White House has
managed to secure the support of at least one-third of the Senate, which
is expected to block the efforts by Republicans, as well as a handful
of Democrats, to stop Congress from backing the deal.
Although this
legislation stands to garner only minority support among lawmakers in
Congress, the fact that this minority is about to give the deal its
blessing and tip the balance in favor of U.S. President Barack Obama
reflects exactly how dubious the congressional process and the public
legitimacy afforded to it have become.
This paradox is rooted
in internal American politics. With the 2016 presidential elections 14
months away, Democrats in the Senate have decided to toe the line and
support Obama's position, despite their expressed reservations over the
bad deal with Iran, so as not to torpedo it, which would be a victory
for their Republican opponents.
Assuming the final
details of the nuclear deal with Iran will be hammered out within the
next few weeks, the real question is what impact they will have on
U.S.-Israel relations.
Contrary to the
apocalyptic scenarios predicting a tectonic fracture in
Washington-Jerusalem ties, reality paints a very different picture, at
least on the security level.
Given the continued
chaos, murderous violence and prolonged disintegration of political
entities in the Middle East -- the humanitarian consequences of which
have become a pan-European question -- the Obama administration has
clear strategic interest in bolstering Israel's military capabilities.
Israel is a strategic
ally and a pro-Western stronghold located in the midst of a radical
sphere threatening to drown the Middle East in a tidal wave of
uncontrollable violence. In other words, upgrading Israel's strategic
position during this tumultuous time, when the disastrous results of the
Obama administration's soft power policies are becoming evident, is not
just a necessary move given Iran's expected military reinforcement --
it is necessary so as to serve broader American interests in the region,
not all of which are linked to Iran.
Even the
appeasement-driven Obama administration cannot ignore the upheavals that
continue to plague the Middle East, which amplify the refugee issue in
Europe and mandate increasing America's strategic cooperation with
Israel.
The disagreements over
the Iran deal cannot undermine the fact that the White House sees
Israel, alongside the moderate Sunni states, as the main device that
could be leveraged into presenting actual red lines to the fanatic
forces of radical Islam.
Given the Obama
administration's "contribution" to the ongoing civil war in Syria,
especially in light of its reluctance to take any military action
against the Assad regime in Damascus, the decision to upgrade Israel's
military capabilities is meant to offset, even if only partially,
Washington's disengagement and subsequent helplessness in the region.
The generous aid
package to be offered to Israel reflects Washington's eagerness to
minimize, somehow, the damage its failures have brought upon the Middle
East and the new threats looming over it. After all, foreign policy
means to reflect diplomatic, political and strategic interests, not
terms of endearment.
Even if some of the
personal differences between Obama and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu
persist, the rattled, burning regional sphere around them is likely to
overshadow any other consideration and prompt them to forge closer
strategic ties.
Prof. Abraham Ben-Zvi
Source: http://www.israelhayom.com/site/newsletter_opinion.php?id=13689
Copyright - Original materials copyright (c) by the authors.
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