I have know this for a long time though you state it far better. I sometimes see comments from groypers against Israel online and reply with a short statement that the USA benefits from a strategic alliance with Israel as much or more than Israel benefits from the USA. If anything, the USA has a history of holding Israel back in wars, costing the lives of IDF soldiers -- though it is good that American naval ships and fighters are on standby in the region and that President Trump is supportive. However, I also know that Israel is capable of defending itself by itself if necessary. Israel provides first rate intelligence and what you term operational expertise" to the USA that it can ill afford to be without. As much as Steven Bannon wants American isolationism, it's not practicable. The USA needs eyes and ears in the Middle East. However, the groypers are so blinded they don't see it and keep misusing the phrase "America First". But it is putting America first to recognize the value of the alliance. USA OR Israel is a false binary. By using it groypers serve as useful idiots for Islamic terrorists and also Communist China, which seems to be in an uholy alliance with Iran. Israel is on the front line in a global war and its enemies would see its fall as the first step in a jihad against the USA. Groypers are not only blinded by anti-Jewish hate; they are also profoundly geopolitically ignorant.
Whenever I reply with similar facts about Israel's value to America to "groypers" and other ignorant Jew haters, I am met with extreme vitriol and insults and more Jew hate. They refuse to believe ANYTHING positive about Jews/Israel and unfortunately, this awful group on the Right are growing.
Israel does not and never did, need the United States. True, the United States led by President Harry S. Truman were the first to recognize Israel. But the United States put an arms embargo on both sides during the 1948 Israeli War of Independence. It was the USSR and Eastern and Central European nations who sent Israel the arms they needed to win the war against the Arab nations. After the war, the United States and Israel had very little of a relationship in the late 1940s, 1950s and the early 1960s. The United States was more interested in courting Gamal Abdel Nasser and Egypt, trying to build relations with the Arab states and stabilizing the oil industry. It wasn’t until Israel defeated Egypt, Syria, Jordan, and Iraq, won the 1967 Six-Day War and emerged as the region’s preeminent power. This is when the United States sought to become aligned with Israel. It wasn’t until the 1980s that the United States and Israel established a formal alliance. Walter Russell Mead’s statement Joshua quoted here was 100% true. It wasn’t until Israel emerged as a strong nation that America stood up and took notice and it wasn’t until it became clear Israel was an invaluable ally and our interests were aligned that we formally became allies.
Despite the Gaza War, the division created by judicial reform and the ultra-conservative government in power in Jerusalem, Israel is much better off than and has a brighter future, than the United States or any other western country. Israel has a booming economy, a high birth rate, one of the world’s strongest militaries, a first-rate education system, high social trust and a sense of community, universal healthcare, incredible culture, racial and religious diversity, the Most rights anywhere in the Middle East for minorities, women and Christians, an amazing music and festival scene, unmatched natural beauty, thousands of years of history, and a technological sector that is the envy of the world. The United States is in a recession, inflation is through the roof, wages have been stagnant since the 1980s, the healthcare and education systems suck, wealth inequality has gradually gotten wider and wider, the middle class gradually has shrunk, political polarization and racial division plague American society, Congress is totally dysfunctional and little more than a glorified debate club, and our infrastructure is crumbling.
The United States knows darn well it needs Israel more than Israel needs them. Israel protects the aging, weak and economically fragile West from Iran and its Islamist proxies. They help prop up the moderate Arab regimes who are close allies of the United States. Israel ensures that western and liberal values have a presence in the Middle East. They pour billions into the economy and create hundreds of thousands of jobs. The United States benefits tremendously from Israel’s innovations in medicine, science, technology, engineering, water, and agriculture. American Jews have a safe haven in Israel that America is failing to provide them. The IDF provides invaluable training to American police forces. Israelis live a MUCH better quality of life than Americans do despite being surrounded by hostile nations and terrorist groups. Israelis are much happier, healthier and academically proficient than Americans. Israel actually pays their workers a living wage and give them benefits. In America, bosses and corporations exploit workers to the fullest.
Also, regarding Truman, I have read that it was only after his old business partner travelled to DC and begged him to support Israel, that he decided to vote Yes.
Hmm, you may have a point, but maybe it’s one you should keep to yourself. Without any doubt, America has been incredibly important to Israel, as has Europe. Why insult them? Friends, surely. Is there an ongoing chart, measuring who’s given who the most? Don’t sour good relationships. Grow stronger together, and maybe grow up. This is a very very long show!
Actually, Jew haters can not handle the truth. Post any facts to them from your article and then duck and cover, because you will be hit with vile slurs and vicious hate in response.
The European Union is approximately 400 km from Tel Aviv as the crow flies, while Washington is approximately 9,500 km away.
Israel's one-sided focus on the US in recent years is becoming increasingly risky with the arrival of the fickle and anti-democratic Trump administration.
It is in Israel's interest to bet on more than one horse – the Jewish state should not expect salvation from Israel's neighbors, which fundamentally differ from this rule of law- state.
It is now almost certain that NATO is on its last legs.
Europe needs friends, and Israel needs risk diversification.
A European-Israeli rapprochement naturally requires a humane approach to the proces of obtaining civil rights for all residents within Israeli territory.
Difficult, but not impossible – interesting articles on this subject have already been written in this column by Messrs. Hoffman and Kaplan.
Domestic pacification and risk diversification in foreign relations should be top priorities for Israel.
"While frequently portrayed as a lifeline, this represents only about 11 percent of Israel’s total defense budget, which hovers around $34–to–35 billion annually. In other words, American aid is substantial in absolute dollars but far from determinative." In all the hue and cry about supporting Israel here in the US I was unaware as to how large the Israeli defense budget is and how relatively small a part of that number is from the US. Israel has come a long way from the makeshift days of 1948 and the size of their defense spending now is remarkable and explains their regional military reach.
Wonderful essay, Josh. Great writing, points well made. I agree with most of your arguments and discussion. However, while understanding this reality, I would not want Israel to be so cavalier in their attitude. Particularly, w/ DJT. He likes a lot of ass kissing and, well, right now Bibi’s kinda taking one for the team. So far, so good. One great point that I didn’t really understand is that the US commitment is only 10% of the IDF budget.
Bibi’s noted that Israel intends to beef up its munitions manufacturing. This clearly is the direction of both parties.
The news is always posting some thing or other where Trump is supposedly royally annoyed by a decision of Netanyahu's and Trump has to scold the Israeli PM. The next Democrat elected may or may not be DSA but will certainly be even more disdainful of Israel than Obama. Your analysis goes beyond what I know so a good one. Israel self sufficiency and autonomy. Not something where America is a "guardian."
Love the point about how the "aid" benefits the American military industrial complex. Can you imagine the outcry from those companies, as Israel becomes more independent in its arms manufacturing (which I hope it does)? It's enough to make me smile.
"Israel does not outsource existential decisions to Washington."
No, it just caves to American arm twisting via the menu of threats conveniently at its disposal: \
If you don't do what we want, we hold up or stop crucial military supplies.
If you don't do what we want, we will not only withhold our support for you at the UN. In fact, we will actively vote with your enemies against you.
If you don't do what we want, we will withhold all monies we usually give you.
One example of the dynamics "In 1975, Washington suspended arms sales to pressure Israel into signing new accords with Egypt" and. Another, "aid strengthened Israel’s capabilities, it reinforced asymmetry, giving the U.S. leverage over strategic decisions."
America expects deep gratitude for its benevolence towards the Jews.
It is always to keep in mind that "in the Middle East, there are no permanent friends and no permanent enemies, only temporary alignments of interest. States cooperate, compete, and undermine one another simultaneously. Today’s silence becomes tomorrow’s pact; today’s outrage becomes tomorrow’s contract."
And today's contract become tomorrow's bird cage liner. Never forget the Treaty of al-Hudaybiya is a Quranic model for contracts the Middle Eastern has always followed.
As the essay astutely observes,"Israel cannot allow its security to hinge on distant leaders with competing priorities; it must act decisively and pragmatically based on its own strategic calculus."
The IAI Lavi was a fighter jet cancelled in the 80’s ostensibly due to high cost but the real reason could have been pressure from the US who did not want the competition. It would have been the most advanced fighter jet in the world.
Israel with a population approaching something over 10 million people even with a high GDP comparable to most first world nations cannot generate enough wealth to sustain a level of overwhelming military deterrent or active attack without the economy suffering in any long drawn out war like what just happened when they went about destroying Hamas and other proxy fighters supported by Iran. It did have a negative effect on the Israeli economy.
What the U.S. supplies is some relief when they offer that military aid in the form of credits that requires the Israelis to buy American military hardware and various systems. This allows the Israeli government to continue with their various social programs including giving a stipend to Ultra Orthodox families who for the most part have low levels of employment and a minuscule enlistment rate in the Israeli military. If that stipend and the so called exemption from serving would be taken away, the present Israeli coalition would fall apart and a set of divisive new elections would have to be called.
For Israel to be fully independent of aid from the U.S. or any other country, they need a larger population of highly educated people and a internal dynamic economy that only can come about if the population was closer to 13 million people with no large segments getting excused from participating for some very weak reasoning by politicians in fear of their careers.
As for the population growing, based on a average family size of over 3.1 children per family, that's not a problem. The problem is that the so called "exempt" is also growing and that is a problem. While I fully believe you should believe at any level you are comfortable or not believe at all, being "super" religious is not a excuse to avoid work to "learn". Even the Talmud says "teach your children how to swim and also a trade" to paraphrase that rather common sense advise.
I have know this for a long time though you state it far better. I sometimes see comments from groypers against Israel online and reply with a short statement that the USA benefits from a strategic alliance with Israel as much or more than Israel benefits from the USA. If anything, the USA has a history of holding Israel back in wars, costing the lives of IDF soldiers -- though it is good that American naval ships and fighters are on standby in the region and that President Trump is supportive. However, I also know that Israel is capable of defending itself by itself if necessary. Israel provides first rate intelligence and what you term operational expertise" to the USA that it can ill afford to be without. As much as Steven Bannon wants American isolationism, it's not practicable. The USA needs eyes and ears in the Middle East. However, the groypers are so blinded they don't see it and keep misusing the phrase "America First". But it is putting America first to recognize the value of the alliance. USA OR Israel is a false binary. By using it groypers serve as useful idiots for Islamic terrorists and also Communist China, which seems to be in an uholy alliance with Iran. Israel is on the front line in a global war and its enemies would see its fall as the first step in a jihad against the USA. Groypers are not only blinded by anti-Jewish hate; they are also profoundly geopolitically ignorant.
Whenever I reply with similar facts about Israel's value to America to "groypers" and other ignorant Jew haters, I am met with extreme vitriol and insults and more Jew hate. They refuse to believe ANYTHING positive about Jews/Israel and unfortunately, this awful group on the Right are growing.
Israel does not and never did, need the United States. True, the United States led by President Harry S. Truman were the first to recognize Israel. But the United States put an arms embargo on both sides during the 1948 Israeli War of Independence. It was the USSR and Eastern and Central European nations who sent Israel the arms they needed to win the war against the Arab nations. After the war, the United States and Israel had very little of a relationship in the late 1940s, 1950s and the early 1960s. The United States was more interested in courting Gamal Abdel Nasser and Egypt, trying to build relations with the Arab states and stabilizing the oil industry. It wasn’t until Israel defeated Egypt, Syria, Jordan, and Iraq, won the 1967 Six-Day War and emerged as the region’s preeminent power. This is when the United States sought to become aligned with Israel. It wasn’t until the 1980s that the United States and Israel established a formal alliance. Walter Russell Mead’s statement Joshua quoted here was 100% true. It wasn’t until Israel emerged as a strong nation that America stood up and took notice and it wasn’t until it became clear Israel was an invaluable ally and our interests were aligned that we formally became allies.
Despite the Gaza War, the division created by judicial reform and the ultra-conservative government in power in Jerusalem, Israel is much better off than and has a brighter future, than the United States or any other western country. Israel has a booming economy, a high birth rate, one of the world’s strongest militaries, a first-rate education system, high social trust and a sense of community, universal healthcare, incredible culture, racial and religious diversity, the Most rights anywhere in the Middle East for minorities, women and Christians, an amazing music and festival scene, unmatched natural beauty, thousands of years of history, and a technological sector that is the envy of the world. The United States is in a recession, inflation is through the roof, wages have been stagnant since the 1980s, the healthcare and education systems suck, wealth inequality has gradually gotten wider and wider, the middle class gradually has shrunk, political polarization and racial division plague American society, Congress is totally dysfunctional and little more than a glorified debate club, and our infrastructure is crumbling.
The United States knows darn well it needs Israel more than Israel needs them. Israel protects the aging, weak and economically fragile West from Iran and its Islamist proxies. They help prop up the moderate Arab regimes who are close allies of the United States. Israel ensures that western and liberal values have a presence in the Middle East. They pour billions into the economy and create hundreds of thousands of jobs. The United States benefits tremendously from Israel’s innovations in medicine, science, technology, engineering, water, and agriculture. American Jews have a safe haven in Israel that America is failing to provide them. The IDF provides invaluable training to American police forces. Israelis live a MUCH better quality of life than Americans do despite being surrounded by hostile nations and terrorist groups. Israelis are much happier, healthier and academically proficient than Americans. Israel actually pays their workers a living wage and give them benefits. In America, bosses and corporations exploit workers to the fullest.
Also, regarding Truman, I have read that it was only after his old business partner travelled to DC and begged him to support Israel, that he decided to vote Yes.
Hmm, you may have a point, but maybe it’s one you should keep to yourself. Without any doubt, America has been incredibly important to Israel, as has Europe. Why insult them? Friends, surely. Is there an ongoing chart, measuring who’s given who the most? Don’t sour good relationships. Grow stronger together, and maybe grow up. This is a very very long show!
No insults, just describing reality. People can handle the truth.
Actually, Jew haters can not handle the truth. Post any facts to them from your article and then duck and cover, because you will be hit with vile slurs and vicious hate in response.
The European Union is approximately 400 km from Tel Aviv as the crow flies, while Washington is approximately 9,500 km away.
Israel's one-sided focus on the US in recent years is becoming increasingly risky with the arrival of the fickle and anti-democratic Trump administration.
It is in Israel's interest to bet on more than one horse – the Jewish state should not expect salvation from Israel's neighbors, which fundamentally differ from this rule of law- state.
It is now almost certain that NATO is on its last legs.
Europe needs friends, and Israel needs risk diversification.
A European-Israeli rapprochement naturally requires a humane approach to the proces of obtaining civil rights for all residents within Israeli territory.
Difficult, but not impossible – interesting articles on this subject have already been written in this column by Messrs. Hoffman and Kaplan.
Domestic pacification and risk diversification in foreign relations should be top priorities for Israel.
Have you been listening to European governments for 2 years? Europe has been extremely hostile to Israel and its on its last legs anyway.
"While frequently portrayed as a lifeline, this represents only about 11 percent of Israel’s total defense budget, which hovers around $34–to–35 billion annually. In other words, American aid is substantial in absolute dollars but far from determinative." In all the hue and cry about supporting Israel here in the US I was unaware as to how large the Israeli defense budget is and how relatively small a part of that number is from the US. Israel has come a long way from the makeshift days of 1948 and the size of their defense spending now is remarkable and explains their regional military reach.
Wonderful essay, Josh. Great writing, points well made. I agree with most of your arguments and discussion. However, while understanding this reality, I would not want Israel to be so cavalier in their attitude. Particularly, w/ DJT. He likes a lot of ass kissing and, well, right now Bibi’s kinda taking one for the team. So far, so good. One great point that I didn’t really understand is that the US commitment is only 10% of the IDF budget.
Bibi’s noted that Israel intends to beef up its munitions manufacturing. This clearly is the direction of both parties.
Still, wonderful analysis.
The news is always posting some thing or other where Trump is supposedly royally annoyed by a decision of Netanyahu's and Trump has to scold the Israeli PM. The next Democrat elected may or may not be DSA but will certainly be even more disdainful of Israel than Obama. Your analysis goes beyond what I know so a good one. Israel self sufficiency and autonomy. Not something where America is a "guardian."
Love the point about how the "aid" benefits the American military industrial complex. Can you imagine the outcry from those companies, as Israel becomes more independent in its arms manufacturing (which I hope it does)? It's enough to make me smile.
Good. Because comes the next Democratic administration, or one led by J.D. Vance, America is no longer in Israel’s corner. Alas.
"Israel does not outsource existential decisions to Washington."
No, it just caves to American arm twisting via the menu of threats conveniently at its disposal: \
If you don't do what we want, we hold up or stop crucial military supplies.
If you don't do what we want, we will not only withhold our support for you at the UN. In fact, we will actively vote with your enemies against you.
If you don't do what we want, we will withhold all monies we usually give you.
One example of the dynamics "In 1975, Washington suspended arms sales to pressure Israel into signing new accords with Egypt" and. Another, "aid strengthened Israel’s capabilities, it reinforced asymmetry, giving the U.S. leverage over strategic decisions."
America expects deep gratitude for its benevolence towards the Jews.
It is always to keep in mind that "in the Middle East, there are no permanent friends and no permanent enemies, only temporary alignments of interest. States cooperate, compete, and undermine one another simultaneously. Today’s silence becomes tomorrow’s pact; today’s outrage becomes tomorrow’s contract."
And today's contract become tomorrow's bird cage liner. Never forget the Treaty of al-Hudaybiya is a Quranic model for contracts the Middle Eastern has always followed.
As the essay astutely observes,"Israel cannot allow its security to hinge on distant leaders with competing priorities; it must act decisively and pragmatically based on its own strategic calculus."
The IAI Lavi was a fighter jet cancelled in the 80’s ostensibly due to high cost but the real reason could have been pressure from the US who did not want the competition. It would have been the most advanced fighter jet in the world.
Fuck both Zionist Cunt-trees
Israel with a population approaching something over 10 million people even with a high GDP comparable to most first world nations cannot generate enough wealth to sustain a level of overwhelming military deterrent or active attack without the economy suffering in any long drawn out war like what just happened when they went about destroying Hamas and other proxy fighters supported by Iran. It did have a negative effect on the Israeli economy.
What the U.S. supplies is some relief when they offer that military aid in the form of credits that requires the Israelis to buy American military hardware and various systems. This allows the Israeli government to continue with their various social programs including giving a stipend to Ultra Orthodox families who for the most part have low levels of employment and a minuscule enlistment rate in the Israeli military. If that stipend and the so called exemption from serving would be taken away, the present Israeli coalition would fall apart and a set of divisive new elections would have to be called.
For Israel to be fully independent of aid from the U.S. or any other country, they need a larger population of highly educated people and a internal dynamic economy that only can come about if the population was closer to 13 million people with no large segments getting excused from participating for some very weak reasoning by politicians in fear of their careers.
As for the population growing, based on a average family size of over 3.1 children per family, that's not a problem. The problem is that the so called "exempt" is also growing and that is a problem. While I fully believe you should believe at any level you are comfortable or not believe at all, being "super" religious is not a excuse to avoid work to "learn". Even the Talmud says "teach your children how to swim and also a trade" to paraphrase that rather common sense advise.
true