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IT’S AMERICAN INTERESTS, STUPID!

Recent congressional hearings about the destruction, by Israel’s air force, of a Syrian-North Korean nuclear facility, has shed light on the mutually-beneficial nature of US-Israel relations. The September 2007 Israeli military operation in Syria has dealt a setback to the Syria-North Korea-Iran-Hizballah axis, while advancing US and Israeli interests. It has bolstered US posture of deterrence, has extended US’ strategic arm and has provided the US with vital information to penetrate Russian air defense systems, which are also employed by Iran. It has refuted the claim that US-Israel relations have been shaped by political expediency.

Former Secretary of State and NATO Supreme Commander, General (ret.) Al Haig refers to Israel as the largest, cost-effective, combat-experienced US aircraft carrier that does not require US personnel, cannot be sunk and is located in a most critical region for US national security interests.

In 1967, Israel defeated the pro-Soviet Egypt-Syria axis, which intended to topple pro-US conservative oil-producing Arab regimes. In 1970, Israel forced the rollback of a pro-Soviet Syrian invasion of pro-US Jordan, preventing a pro-Soviet “Domino Effect” into the Persian Gulf. The 1976,”Jonathan (Entebbe) Operation” inspired the US war on global terrorism. In 1982, Israel destroyed Syrian-operated Soviet surface-to-air missile batteries, which were considered impregnable. Israel’s battle tactics and technologies were shared with the US, thus tilting the global balance of military and technological power in favor of the US. In 1981, Israel destroyed Iraq’s nuclear reactor, providing the US with a conventional option in 1991 and 2003, preventing a mega-billion dollar mega-casualties nuclear war. In 2007, Israel shares with the US its unique experience of combating Palestinian and Hizballah terrorism, which are the role model of anti-US Islamic terrorism. An Israel-like ally in the Persian Gulf would have spared the need to dispatch US troops to Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and Iraq.

While the Win-Win US-Israel relationship has provided Israel with
indispensable critical support, it has enhanced US national and homeland security, improving US intelligence-gathering, extending US deployment and deterrence capabilities, providing the US with breakthrough commercial and defense technologies, expanding US employment, research & development and export and upgrading US healthcare and standard of living. Israel is a net producer – not a net consumer – of national security.

During a March 15, 2007 Congressional testimony, General Bantz Craddock, Commander of US European Command and NATO Supreme Allied Commander, stated: “Israel is a critical military partner in this difficult seam of the Middle East… Israel is the US’ closest ally. It supports our interests through security cooperation and understanding of US policy in the region.”

During a May 10, 2006 Senate hearing, Lieutenant General Henry Trey Obering, Director of the US Missile Defense Agency, testified that “The US has learned much from working collaboratively with the Israelis. During Operation Iraqi Freedom, Israel’s Arrow and the US Patriot missile defense systems were deployed together to provide integrated coverage.”

Israel’s battle-tested experience in countering-terrorism, car bombs,
improvised explosive devices (IEDs) and homicide bombing has been shared with US troops on their way to Iraq and Afghanistan, as well as with US homeland security agencies, thus reducing US losses and minimizing terrorism on US soil. Israeli-developed unmanned aerial vehicles have been employed by US Marines in Afghanistan and Iraq, providing intelligence otherwise unattainable, preempting terrorist strikes. The Israeli-developed navigation guidance system Lightning Pod eliminated Al-Zarkawi, the arch Al-Qaeda terrorist.

Israel’s battle-proven experience has been integrated – through battle
tactics and hardware modifications – into the US military, and defense
industries. For example, the F-16 includes over 600 Israeli modifications, sparing the US a mega-billion dollar and a multi-year research & development budget. A litany of state-of-the-art US military systems have been upgraded in a similar manner, enhancing US national security and defense industrial base. In fact, Israel’s employment of US military systems has enticed many countries to buy American. Israel has been for the US what Michael Jordan has been for Nike!

Israel constitutes a most productive battle-tested laboratory, providing
the US with vital data otherwise unobtainable, enhancing US security,
saving American lives, upgrading US battle doctrines, creating jobs and increasing US exports.

Commercially, Israel’s high tech industry has developed the world’s most advanced microprocessors, chips, window operating systems, voice mail, instant messaging and cellular technologies, coding and decoding devices, medical devices and pharmaceuticals. Most of these technologies/products have been integrated into the US industry, augmenting the well-being of Americans, boosting US competitive edge in the global market and increasing US employment.

Unlike all other Mideast countries, Israel has subordinated its
international relations to its ties with the US, as evidenced by Israel’s
perfect pro-US UN voting record. In the absence of Israel, the US would have to deploy, to the eastern flank of the Mediterranean, aircraft carriers and tens of thousands of US servicemen, costing scores of billions of dollars annually, in order to replace Israel’s national security contribution. US support of Israel has been a high-return US investment.

US-Israel win-win relations have been empowered by long-term
joint-interests and mutual-threats, rather than by short-term political
expediency, unmatched by any other set of bilateral relationships.




Videos

The post-1967 turning point of US-Israel cooperation

Israeli benefits to the US taxpayer exceed US foreign aid to Israel

Iran - A Clear And Present Danger To The USA

Exposing the myth of the Arab demographic time bomb

Congress – the co-equal and systematic ally of Israel

Presidents propose and Congress disposes

On September 23, 2021, the US House of Representatives voted 420:9 to replenish the Israeli-developed defensive “Iron Dome” missiles, which are increasingly manufactured – and eventually exported – by the US defense company Raytheon, that benefits from the battle-tested “Israeli laboratory.”

The overwhelming vote reflects Congressional realization that the “Iron Dome”:

*Enhances Israel’s posture of deterrence, which is critical to the survival of all pro-US Arab regimes and minimization of regional instability;
*Reduces the need for full-scale Israeli wars on Palestinian and Islamic terrorism;
*Provides an alternative to Israeli military ground-operations against Palestinian terrorists, which would entail substantial Israeli and Palestinian fatalities;
*Represents joint US-Israel interests, militarily and technologically, in the face of mutual threats (e.g., Islamic terrorism) and mutual challenges (e.g., developing world-class, game-changing technologies).

*Constitutes another example of the systematic support by Congress of enhanced US-Israel cooperation.

The decisive role played by Congress in the replenishment of the “Iron Dome” underscores the cardinal rule of the US political system: The President proposes, but Congress disposes.

The involvement of Senators and House Representatives in foreign policy and national security-related issues has surged since the Vietnam War, Watergate and Iran Gate scandals, the dismantling of the USSR (which transformed the world from a bi-polar to a multi-polar) and rapidly-expanding globalization.

In fact, former Secretary of State, Jim Baker, complained about the growing congressional assertiveness in the area of foreign policy: “You can’t conduct foreign policy with 535 Secretaries of State….”  Former Secretary of Defense, Dick Cheney, criticized Congress for micromanaging the defense budget: dictating how much to spend on particular weapons, imposing detailed requirements and programmatic restrictions, venturing into policy-setting and requesting that the Department of Defense submits mountains of reports.

Congressional muscles 

The US Congress is the most powerful legislature in the world, and it has demonstrated its co-equal, co-determining muscle in the areas of foreign and defense policies on many occasions, such as:

*Imposing sanctions against foreign countries in defiance of Presidents Clinton, Obama and Trump (e.g., Egypt – 2012, Iran – 1996-97 and 2013, Russia – 2017);
*Non-ratification of the 2015 JCPOA, which enabled withdrawal by the US;
*The 2009 non-closure of the Guantanamo Detention Camp was led by Senate Majority Leader, Harry Reid (NV-D), in defiance of President Obama.
*The 2009 non-confirmation of Charles Freeman to the Director of National Intelligence was led by Senator Chuck Schumer (NY-D);
*The 1999 non-ratification of the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty in defiance of President Clinton and the international community;
*The unprecedented expansion of US-Israel strategic cooperation took place despite stiff opposition by President Bush and Secretary of State Baker;
*The Comprehensive Anti-Apartheid Act overrode President Reagan’s veto;
*The 1984 Boland Amendment aborted President Reagan’s financial and military aid to anti-Communist elements in Nicaragua;
*The 1983 blocking of President Reagan’s attempted coup against the Surinam pro-Soviet regime;
*The 1978 Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act mandated congressional authorization of surveillance of persons and organizations, which may threaten national security;
*The 1975/76 Tunney (CA-D) and Clark Amendments stopped financial and military covert support of the opposition to the pro-Soviet regime in Angola;
*The 1973 Church-Case Amendment ended funding of military involvement in Southeast Asia;
*The 1973 War Powers Act overrode President Nixon’s veto;
*The Jackson-Vanik Amendment preconditioned aid to Moscow upon free immigration.

Congress empowered by the Constitution

As documented in the aforementioned paragraphs, one is advised to note that while Congress is preoccupied with District and State issues, it has the power to both propose and dispose in the areas of foreign and defense policies.

The US Constitution aspires for a limited government and a non-monarchical president, and therefore does not limit Congress to overseeing the budget. It provides the Senate and the House of Representatives with the power to act on strategic issues and policy-setting.

The Constitution accords Congress ”the power of the purse,” oversight of government operations, ratification of treaties, confirmation of key appointments, declaration of war, funding of military operations and cooperation with foreign entities, creation and elimination of government agencies, imposing sanctions on foreign governments, etc.

In other words, the President is the “commander in-chief” within constraints, which are set by Congress.




Videos

The post-1967 turning point of US-Israel cooperation

Israeli benefits to the US taxpayer exceed US foreign aid to Israel

Iran - A Clear And Present Danger To The USA

Exposing the myth of the Arab demographic time bomb