In America, all events — domestic and foreign — are currently seen through the prism of the presidential elections. In Israel, though, our prism is not political but existential. Iran’s irrational rulers daily pledge to wipe us off the map while rapidly producing the nuclear capability to do it. Can they be stopped, we ask ourselves, and, if so, by whom? Is there still time?
The Iranian nuclear threat has been publicly discussed in Israel’s free press and keenly debated. Some argue that Iran has yet to produce a nuclear weapon and that Israel must not act alone. Others warn that time is running out and that Israel is duty-bound to defend itself. Irrespective of their differences, though, Israeli security experts agree that sanctions, though damaging to the Iranian economy, have not slowed Iran’s nuclear program. They agree that diplomacy, in spite of increasing flexibility in the international community’s bargaining position, has not produced a single Iranian concession. A nuclear-empowered Iran, Israeli commentators concur, presents not one but several existential threats to the Jewish state.
Comments
Israel has nuclear weapons which they refuse to declare!
Creating red lines creates a host of issues, beyond what you mention here. Irrespective of these however is the fact that Netanyahu himself has yet to actually identify any sort of demarcation line. Locking the U.S or Israel into such an attack posture eliminates any military or political flexibility because if we don't act, then the two allies will appear feckless. Additionally giving an enemy a timeline allows them to arrange for further protections of any enrichment materials or facilities not to mention the ability to position further defense systems for the aforementioned. Red Lines are bad policy. Should Israel determine to strike hopefully the United States will back that effort. No announcements or predetermined lines in the sand need to be articulated. Most military and intelligence professionals would agree that when you decide to strike, you strike. You don't announce any conditionality prior to doing so as was evidenced by previous successful Israeli attacks on Iranian and Syrian nuclear hard and soft targets.
The US is long overdue for re-thinking our relationship with Israel. The value of this relationship to the US is very ambiguous at best, considering the lack of benefit derived by the US and the anti-US resentment it breeds internationally. It's time to reduce the influence of AIPAC on US foreign policy. The US House and Senate are too beholden to AIPAC's influence and financing. There would be much less support for Israel's actions if American public opinion more directly influenced the US policy toward Israel. Let Israel fight its own wars. It is bad enough that our US taxes fund their military and the apartheid they've instituted over the Palestinians. They have a huge amount of chutzpah to demand publicly (and with such entitlement) that we in the US support their bellicose approaches not only with our tax dollars but also with the lives of our sons and daughters who serve in the American military.