On this I strongly disagree. The new battle being waged is for identity and principle. It is an extremely difficult one to fight against, or win against because it is intangible, it uses your own limits of action in the name of your own decency against you. Look at the pro-palestinian (Hamas) demonstrations across the globe, they were violent and abusive, and note that their chant was for annhialation and death of anyone who was not of their ilk. Contrast that with the pro-Israel protests that called for peace. I will say it again, that action was global, it was serious, it was targetted and it was effective. That is a form of war.
All Arab Islamic countries have elements of those extreme people in their ranks, they may not agree with it, it may not be in their national interests to have it, but they then need to bring it under control or they are aiding and abetting it.
Then right in the midst of it all you have Israel, the only contra-force; under constant attack, but always on the successful defence. Take Israel away and I will wager you everything I have that Islamist extremism and its’s proclaimed desire for the destruction of the Western world will accelerate wildly. Remember the daily chant “Death to America, Death to Israel”, you think that is made lightly? You saw the embodiment of that graphically on October the 7th, it is real, you had better believe it.
So when Israel defends itself and stands up to this mayhem they are doing so not just for Israel, but for us too. Yes, the Islamist extremist world is an existential threat to all non Islamists, even to their non-extremist Muslim brothers. And right now all that stands in the way is Israel. Israel is indeed one of the most important allies we have. You may not be religious, but the exact magnitude of that importance if foretold in several religions. Thank God for Israel.
I always respect your views on any subject Kevin. Spare me a few minutes to fully develop what I posted earlier. Let me begin by repeating what I also posted several pages ago, that I strongly support the existence of Israel. I think the West (essentially the UK at the time) made a commitment to creating a Jewish homeland in the Levant after WWI. "Palestine" was chosen for historic reasons, because Zionists were already purchasing land there, and perhaps most importantly, it had been under Turkish control and represented a form of reparations by Turkey for being allied to Germany during the War.
The horrors of the holocaust and the West's failure to act prior to the war (by failing to allow many European Jews to flee to their countries), created a sense of appropriate guilt that the US largely assumed on behalf of all of the West. Hence Truman and this country became the first to recognize Israel.
Israel has been steadfast in its own defense, as we have in supporting those efforts. But if I can offer a historic analogy to Jewish Israel, it would be the Latin Kingdom of Jerusalem. It was founded following the first crusade and survived for about 200 years. Jerusalem itself fell in 1187 when seized by Saladin (Salah al Din). Throughout its relatively short existence, the Kingdom represented a Western cultural anomaly, controlling the third holiest site in Islam, pinned to a vast continent of Arab Islamic peoples and culture. The Kingdom of Jerusalem had successfully defended itself for well over a century until it failed at the battle of Hattin. The parallels are persuasive and cautionary.
Today, I do not know a single serious student of the region who would characterize our relationship as one that helps in the pursuit of US national interests in that region. I am a product of the Walsh School, Contemporary Arab Studies, Georgetown, an Arab speaker, and have lived, served, and negotiated military and civilian deals across the region over most of my career. The "business" of this country, in other words, the national interests of this country is all firmly bound to the Arab Middle East - not in Israel. Since Standard Oil first negotiated a deal before the Second World War, our engagement to protect those interests, whether diplomatic, commercial, or military takes place in Arab Islamic countries. Our diplomats, military leaders, and business developers work diligently to create and maintain partnerships among those Arab States. Others, like Egypt and the UAE, also control extremely important choke points like the Suez Canal and Straits of Hormuz.
I think it is instructive that the US has never based any of its forces in Israel. Our major airbase and regional HQ is in Qatar. Our Air Force cooperates regularly with the Royal Saudi Air Force and has used Saudi Air Bases several times for massive combat deployments. Jordan has been a steadfast supporter of our SOF operations in the region for decades. All of this is because our critical interests and regional partners are Arab Islamic nations.
With respect to Islamic radicalism, I know of no real student of the region who believes that Israel represents some sort of bulwark against it. How could it? On the contrary, I and all others that I know and have read. would describe the simple existence of the State of Israel as an accelerant that has fueled both Islamic fundamentalism and the militant terrorist organizations that have caused so much death and destruction across the West. Would Hamas, or its murderous predecessor, the PLO even have existed without Israel as the rallying point for the movements? Absolutely not. Would Iran, a non-Arab state, have any sort of foothold in the Arab world were it not for its proxies organized and armed against Israel. Again, absolutely not.
So rather than Israel somehow standing in the way of hordes of militant Arabs marching on the West, it is actually one of if not the prime catalyst for their existence at all.
So, should we support the State of Israel? Yes, we collectively failed the Jewish people from 1933 until the start of WWII. We collectively owe them a debt. We will not step away from that debt anytime soon (though nothing is perpetual as we note the current mood among many young people in much of the West).
But, the West's national interests are and will continue to be bound up among our Arab partners. US goods and services trade with the Arab Middle East accounted for nearly a quarter of a trillion dollars last year. And though the US itself has become more petroleum independent, the economic engine of the West (I include Japan) is still largely fueled by Middle Eastern oil and gas. In contrast, our export trade with Israel in goods and services (not counting gifted military materiel) amounted to only $12.8 billion. Also, Israel does not exported a single litter of oil or cubic cm of natural gas.
The United States will continue conduct its nationally critical work in the Middle East - whether economic or military. But it will do so in spite of its relationship with Israel, not in some way because of it.
