JINSA: A REVIEW OF ISRAEL’S STRATEGIC VALUE TO THE UNITED STATES…
JINSA Report #1067
March 3, 2011
Every so often we do this – last time was March 27, 2006 (JINSA Report #559). In 1979, JINSA published a “quick reference guide” to the capabilities Israel brings to U.S.-Israel security cooperation. We review it periodically, revise it slightly and republish it when some people – including occasional Congressmen – seem unsure why the United States regards Israel as a partner in a difficult region. Thirty-two years after its debut, the list remains largely intact. Israel has:
1. A secure location in a crucial part of the world
2. A well-developed military infrastructure
3. The ability to maintain, service and repair U.S.-origin equipment
4. An excellent deep-water port in Haifa
5. Modern air facilities
6. A position close to sea-lanes and an ability to project power over long distances
7. A domestic air force larger than many in Western Europe and possessing more up-to- date hardware
8. Multilingual capabilities, including facility in English, Arabic and the languages of the (former) Soviet Union
9. Combat familiarity with Soviet/Russian-style tactics and equipment
10. The ability to assist U.S. naval fleets, including common equipment
11. The ability to support American operations and to provide emergency air cover
12. A democratic political system with a strong orientation to support the United States and the NATO system
It is also true that most of the money Israel receives from the United States is mandated by Congress to be spent in the United States and is spent on American defense technology. In part, because of that, in 1996, we noted that Israel’s military R&D capabilities complement those of the United States; its intelligence services cooperate closely with ours – to our benefit; and large numbers of American troops train in Israel. In 2006, we added that, in part through JINSA’s Law Enforcement Exchange Program, American police and law enforcement officials have reaped the benefit of close cooperation with Israeli law enforcement in the areas of first response and counter-terrorism practices.
The proliferation of weapons of mass destruction across the Middle East and Asia, and the technology to deliver ballistic missiles across wide areas require cooperation in intelligence, technology and security policy. Revolution, terrorism and the origins and dissemination of violent Islamic radicalism also need to be addressed multi-laterally when possible.
There are many reasons to consider cutting U.S. aid to the Palestinian Authority (PA) – it is corrupt, anti-democratic and supports the elimination of Israel, if not through military action, then by BDS (boycott, disinvestment and sanctions) and the so-called “right of return.” But most important, despite years of a so-called “peace process,” the PA does not accept that the State of Israel is a legitimate and permanent part of the Middle East.
Israel and the United States are drawn together by common values and common threats to our well-being. In a volatile region so vital to the United States, where other states – including some major recipients of U.S. aid or arms sales – cannot be relied upon, it would be foolish to disengage or denigrate or deny an ally such as Israel. The current upheaval in the Middle East, the sweeping away of long standing dictators reinforces our belief that a peaceful and secure future will depend in no small measure on the allies who stand with us and with whom we stand.
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