It's time
to diversify.
By: JoeSettler Published: October 1st, 2013
America
is in the habit of betraying its "eternal" friends. Ask Taiwan…
America is in the habit of betraying its "eternal" friends. Ask
Taiwan… Nations have no permanent friends or allies, they only have permanent
interests. Paraphrasing Lord Palmerston (Henry John Temple) While Israel and
the United States share some common, fundamental values, in reality, they have
very different interests.
The most basic example is the Middle East. America’s
first priority in the region is to keep the oil flowing, and reduce reliance on
any single country for that resource. Israel’s top priority is survival. Iran
is the best example of where these differences come to a head. Israel is
rightfully worried that Iran wants to commit nuclear genocide against it.
America, on the other hand, is not overly concerned about an Iranian attack,
but would definitely like to see Iranian oil flowing into the U.S., while
keeping Iran out of Russian hands. It fits well into an American Middle East
strategy, that Iran, whatever its regime, would have a working relationship
with the U.S. That doesn’t mean that the U.S. would destroy Israel to satisfy
Iran, but the it has no problem with Israel paying a price in exchange for
Iran’s friendship. Think Jimmy Carter, China and Taiwan.
Back in 1979, Carter
switched his allegiance from Taiwan to the People’s Republic, practically
overnight. It’s what superpowers do. This leaves Israel in a dilemma. Iran will
get nuclear missiles, because it plans to get them – at all costs. The U.S.
wants a rapprochement with Iran, and a few nuclear bombs aren’t going to stand
in the way of that. Israel attacking Iran, on the other hand, would. Israel
doesn’t have too many initial options here. Israel can pressure the U.S.
Congress to try to reduce the size of the bus Israel gets pushed under. Israel
can attack Iran alone, and pray that it’s strong enough, and be prepared to
endure the consequences it will face from the U.S. and from an Iranian
retaliation. Or Israel can keep its mouth shut, ride out the Obama storm, and
be prepared to eventually face off with a nuclear Iran, with expansionist
goals, protecting its proxies on Israel’s border with its nuclear umbrella.
There is another option that Israel can take. Israel can grow up, and cut the
American umbilical cord. Israel needs to diversify. It needs to go out and
begin building better and deeper relationships with other strong countries –
Russia included. It doesn’t need to cut its ties with the US, but it does need
to end its complete reliance on the US, because Israel’s interests and US
interests are not the same. It doesn’t need to be big moves either. Simply
buying some military from Russia would give Israel customer (not client)
status, and that would change all the relationships.
The US would also be faced
with a choice, and pushing Israel under the bus would have consequences for the
US in return. Israel could then play those relationships off one another, just
like the big boys do. The U.S. had been holding back parts of Israel’s economy,
specifically that of the military industry. Israel can begin selling its
systems that compete with the US’s military industry. It’s well known that
Israel’s war tech is superior, and selling a few major systems would do well
for the Israeli economy. And finally, Israel can apply Israeli law over Area C,
and unilaterally declare that the price for a nuclear Iran, is an Israel with
borders that we believe are needed for our protection, as well are historically
and legally ours.
The Arabs in Areas A are free to run their government and
live their lives however they want, as long as they don’t attack us or attempt
to harm us in any way. Taiwan manages to thrive and grow, despite the Chinese
shadow, and its president being persona non grata in Washington (even if it is
now trying to build a relationship with China) Israel has a lot more going for
it than Taiwan. A little growing up, and a little diversity never hurt anyone.
Visit The Muqata.
Read more at: http://www.jewishpress.com/blogs/muqata/israel-must-learn-taiwan-lesson-and-grow-up/2013/10/01/
Read more at: http://www.jewishpress.com/blogs/muqata/israel-must-learn-taiwan-lesson-and-grow-up/2013/10/01/
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