A front-page story in the New York Times this week provides a reminder of something too often forgotten: The American-Israeli alliance is not a one-way street. While Israel obviously derives numerous benefits from the alliance, it also plays an important role in furthering American interests in the Middle East. And one way it does so is through its impressive intelligence capabilities.
The Times report opens with Israeli military commanders calling the Pentagon in late November “to discuss troubling intelligence that was showing up on satellite imagery: Syrian troops appeared to be mixing chemicals at two storage sites, probably the deadly nerve gas sarin, and filling dozens of 500-pounds bombs that could be loaded on airplanes.” The Pentagon promptly notified President Barack Obama, warning that should Syrian President Bashar Assad decide to use them, the weapons could “be airborne in less than two hours — too fast for the United States to act.” Obama responded with a global diplomatic push to stop the weapons from being used, and so far, the effort has succeeded. But it never could have happened had Israel not provided that initial intelligence.
Nor is this the first time Israel has provided America with vital intelligence about Mideast weapons of mass destruction: As the Times reported in 2011, Washington knew nothing about Syria’s clandestine nuclear reactor until Israel’s intelligence chief “visited President George W. Bush’s national security adviser and dropped photographs of the reactor on his coffee table.”
If, as Obama has repeatedly asserted, preventing the use of WMDs is an American interest, then an ally who can provide timely intelligence about such weaponry clearly furthers that interest: America can’t take diplomatic action to stop WMDs if it doesn’t even know they exist, yet its global intelligence responsibilities preclude devoting the kind of concentrated attention to countries like Syria that Israel of necessity does. Without Israel, America would have to either greatly expand its own intelligence coverage of the Middle East’s bad actors, thereby wasting valuable resources better spent elsewhere, or risk discovering too late that Assad had just used chemical weapons or tested a nuclear bomb.
Israel also provides another service: the ability to take action in cases where America can’t. As the Times article noted, two hours wasn’t enough time for America to mount an intervention had Assad decided to use the weapons. What the article didn’t mention, however, was that two hours probably would have been enough time for Israel to do so: Its airbases are much closer to Syria than America’s are.
Indeed, America has often had cause to be grateful to Israel for taking action that America either can’t or would rather not. President Bush didn’t want to destroy Syria’s nuclear reactor in 2007, for instance, but as I’ve written before, American policy-makers are undoubtedly glad today that Israel did so, thereby forestalling the nightmare scenario of nuclear materiel being looted and trafficked amid the chaos of Syria’s civil war. And in the 1991 Gulf War, America was certainly thankful that Israel had destroyed Iraq’s nuclear reactor 10 years earlier, despite having opposed the move at the time.
In an ideal world, of course, none of this would be necessary. But in the real world, the Mideast is a nasty, dangerous place for American interests. And as long as that remains true, America will benefit from having a reliable regional ally whose military and intelligence capabilities can supplement America’s own.
'Yeah, but what have the Jews done for us lately?" n n-C. Hagel
Good deeds – Israelis; otherwise – Jews! n nIn the USA, good deeds (by Jews) – Americans; otherwise Jews! n nWill it ever change – probably not as the borders of the USA are inundated by (il)legal immigration from Mexico, central America, caribbean, Africa, the orient, arab countries, and moslem populations. n nMany of these individuals harbor blind ignorant baseless hatred of Jews, while they gladly use Jewish lawyers, and Jewish liberal politicians, to inundate, and maneuver around, U.S. immigration courts and laws. n nSowing the seeds of (our) destruction! n
A new king arose over Egypt, who did not know Joseph. (Shmot)
"…they gladly use Jewish lawyers, and Jewish liberal politicians…" n nThe Jewish lawyers and pols are well compensated for their services. And they feel wonderfully virtuous about it, too. n nIf American Jews included the military in their career choices they would be as prominent in that field as they are in the civilian professions. The upper echelons of our armed forces would be thick with Jewish generals and admirals and a petty political hack like Hagel would be no threat. n nAmerican Jews are vulnerable because they are lazy and corrupt.
Yes. We are a pathetic bunch, in the aggregate, in terms of ethnic solidarity. n nAmerican Jewish identity has boiled down to bagels and lox and the Sunday NYTIMES in bed, abortion, and gay marriage. n n"Hey darling, did you read that killer Friedman piece today? Makes me proud to be a Jew, he does!"
Friedman and his multitudinous like happily sell out out the Jewish people every day for another inch up the greasy pole. And Friedman is a saint compared to Roger Cohen, the slimy Limey whose shilling for the Ayatollahs emulates Walter Duranty's shilling for the Soviets. n nAh, the New York Times. Thankfully, its demise is imminent. n nAs for American Jews, they have made their bed and now they have to sleep in it. Those who rely on others for their protection are inevitably betrayed. Here in NYC we saw it during the Crown Heights Riots when an African American mayor ordered an overwhelmingly Catholic police force to stand down for three days while black criminals rioted and helpless Chasidic Jewish families cowered in their homes. n nThe last time American Jews volunteered for military services in numbers exceeding their proportion of the American population was during the Spanish American War whose aim was to drive the Spanish Catholic Crown out of its last stronghold in the Americas. When Teddy Roosevelt, as New York's newly appointed (Reform) Police Commissioner, called for "Jews of the Macabee type" to replace New York's utterly corrupt Irish Catholic constabulary hundreds of that generation volunteered. n nAlas, that brand of muscular, self-confident American Jew is long gone and faded from memory.
Not completely gone and not completely faded from memory – just n nabsent from the "organized (liberal) Jewish community", averse to reform congregations, disgusted by intermarriage, put off by Jews with more degrees than a thermometer, prone to instincts, common sense and street smarts rather than over analysis by "excessively educated" fools, unhappy with synagogue and temple accommodations of non-Jews in our "houses", disappointed by verbal assaults on our orthodox brothers and sisters, unhappy with attacks of all kinds against Israel and, n nperhaps most importantly of all, n nproud lonely islands of respect for our people and our heritage, and sturdy repositories of knowledge of our remarkable history and of the founding of present-day Israel. n nOur children need to learn our history – knowledge of our heritage and religion will lead to pride and respect for our people, collectively and individually. Nothing less will suffice.
reflecting the latest marriage statistics, your comment should be slightly amended to read: "…in bed with a shiksa.."
You know, its an interesting thing. Some of the blame for the Jewish community's loss of ethnic identity and solidarity MUST be placed at the feet of modern Jewish women, many of whose values and vain and materialistic preoccupations cause many Jewsih men to flee into the arms of non-Jewish women. n n nBefore one castigates the shiksa marrying Jewsih male, it is worth noting that in some environments, – NYC, South FL, and LA come to mind- the alternative is not so appealing. n nNot everyone has the sechel, batzim, or desire to go find a warrior bride in Israel. n nDon't hate me because I speak the truth
n
I would prefer to state that our people must learn the necessity to marry each other. As I said earlier, knowledge of our history and religion will generate pride and respect for our people. n nI would not place blame on our women; rather, responsibility for intermarriage lies with our people's; (i) misplaced priority on "higher education" for our children, and, unfortunately, (ii) less acclaim, pleasure and respect for families with two Jewish parents and children (preferably four at a minimum and not spaced years apart).
I would place a lot of the blame on Jews not wanting to be Jewish… n nand how better than with a gentile wife? n n
well Mike y-I usually agree with you n nbut not this time. As a Jewish woman, I find your remarks insulting-and probably a little self serving n nJewish men If I remember correctly, liked the shicksa because they were easier to f**K-a couple of beers was all it took. n nAt least that was the trend in Montreal, way back when the world was young. n nWhen I was young and gorgeous-my golden globe days-neither I nor any of my friends drank. We were not so easy. n nNo responsibility, no guilt, and you got to have a bland looking blond who wasn't much of a challenge. n nNOw you can rationalize as much as you want. n nDaniel Craig the awesome James Bond, found his nice Jewish girl/wife, maybe he wasn't as prejudiced as you. Maybe he doesn;t have as many material assets as you. n nheh
the more I read your post, Mike y, the uglier it gets- n nI lived in LA-you ever see a 50 year old Jew 'dating' anyone older than a 25 yr old shicksa? n nYou said materialistic?
Ploomie, it was different in those days. It really was. n nAlso, being an ex Canadian myself, I can state beyond a doubt that Canada Jews are different. Quite different. n nAnd lest there be any doubt, American Jewish men are very often far far being 'menches' so there is that. That is the 50 year old with the 25 year old wannabee actress. Too rich, too lazy, too conventionally and thoughtlessly liberal, and completely ahistorical. n nAnyhow, generalizations suck, and I apologize.
dear Mike y n nfriends again…….:)
Well this is something that has to stop with the Hagel regime. Let Hagel and Brennan al Ameriki sort out that out on their own.
Not supplement but complement American intelligence. The IL dealed with the issue from A to Z. The US had little or NO contribution to this issue whether it is discovering or liquidating the site.