In a quickly changing world, it is important to ask which countries the United States can always count on in times of crisis. Recent events have shortened that list considerably.
India has long claimed to be a reliable ally, but it is now undercutting American efforts to impose meaningful sanctions against Iran. Its help cannot any longer be counted on in the struggle against the greatest danger faced by the United States -- an Iran with nuclear weapons. Japan, another ally, is dilly dallying on sanctions as well. Brazil used to be a reliable partner, until it began to fall under the sway of Venezuela's Chavez, who is closely allied with Iran and other American enemies. The "new" Russia and China demonstrated their lack of reliability when they vetoed American efforts in the Security Council to help resolve the Syrian crisis. Egypt, which has received billions of dollars of American aid, has defied American warnings not to put US citizens on trial on phony, trumped-up charges. Jordan, Saudi Arabia and the Emirates are now playing footsy with Hamas and Hezbollah, also Iranian surrogates, as they worry about the contagion of the Arab Spring and the growing influence of the Muslim Brotherhood.
It turns out that other than Europe, Israel may be America's only remaining reliable ally. And even some European countries, such as France, Sweden and Norway, are in doubt.
Israel will always remain a strong American ally because it shares an American commitment to democracy, to freedom of religion, to freedom of expression and to an open market economy. It also shares a common commitment to fight against terrorism and other threats to the security of the United States -- a commitment that is less than vigorous among some European countries.
Some political scientists and state department officials, who call themselves "realists", question Israel's value as an American ally. They are wrong, and recent events confirm how wrong they are and have been.
There is no doubt that America helps Israel enormously, as it should help those who share our democratic values. But there is also no doubt that Israel helps the United States considerably, by sharing its extraordinary intelligence-gathering capabilities, its military R&D, its computer know-how and other intangibles. As other nations in the region debate whether American troops should even be allowed to set foot on their territory, Israel welcomes the American military to engage in joint exercises. In its nearly 64 years of existence, Israel has never asked for a single American soldier to fight its battles. It fights its own battles while assisting the American military in defending our country against terrorism and other threats to our citizens.
It's time for the realists to acknowledge that Israel not only has a moral and ideological claim to American support, but it also has a claim base on realpolitik. Moreover, Israeli exports -- medical, environmental, educational, cultural, agricultural, and high tech -- contribute to the quality of life of all Americans. No country in history has contributed more in 64 years to the quality of life of the world's population than Israel has since its birth.
Those are some of the reasons why thoughtful Americans overwhelmingly support Israel, why every mainstream presidential candidate supports Israel's security, and why Israel has never been a divisive issue in American politics, as it has sometimes been in European politics.
This commonality of interests should not immunize Israeli policies and actions from legitimate and reasonable criticism, any more than England's shared values should immunize that country from criticism. Allies need not agree on every aspect of each other's policy to remain supportive friends. But Israel's reliability as an eternal American ally -- and its many contributions to American security and daily life -- should cause us to treat that nation as a friend and to resolve reasonable doubts in its favor.
Unfortunately, the opposite is being advocated by some "realists," hard left academics and extremist student activists. They see Israel as an enemy and resolve all doubts against it. They single out the Jewish state for divestment, boycotts and sanctions, (DBS) -- ignoring real human rights offenders such as China, Cuba, Zimbabwe, Iran and Syria. They apply a double standard of judgment against Israel. They do not limit their hostility to particular Israeli actions or policies. Instead, they seek to delegitimate the entire concept of a secular, democratic, pluralistic nation state for the Jewish people in a world that includes numerous "Arab," "Muslim," "Christian," "Hindu" and other far more particularistic states.
At its root much of the animus directed at Israel, particularly from the hard left, is actually directed at the United States. The hard left hates America, and it also hates its reliable allies such as Israel. But for those of us who love America, support for Israel -- its most reliable ally -- comes naturally.
So let our great nation continue to support the security and survival of another great democracy with the understanding that there is mutual benefit to our enduring alliance and friendship. Israel, unlike many other fair weather allies, can always be counted on by the United States.
Yeah we get it.
Lets just dismiss the hundreds of thousands of dead Australian, Canadian, British, New Zealander, French and Polish servicemen lying dead on foreign battlefields next to Americans.
Lets promote israel to the top table of allies with no effort WHATSOEVER and not a single casualty. Not a single bead of israeli sweat sacrificed.
GROTESQUE.
No one is saying Australia, Canada, the UK, etc. aren't American allies.
A preposterous claim. Laughable on its face.
America and Israel values are complete opposite to each other.
Of course, just like non-Americans don't have the same rights as Americans.
Not sure why Mr. Dershowitz thought Russia and China were ever our allies, at least since 1945 and 1949, respectively.
As Americans you can ask yourself the question what has Australia done for us. You should be able check a long list.
Now do the same for Israel.
President Obama ask for a settlement freeze and that was an outrage. He ask for a return to 1967 borders and that was "outrageous". There is no compromise with them.
Israel is nowhere to be seen. The claim that israel is a more reliable ally is simply grotesque. Its shameful.
(It's not a competition)
Israel bombed the Liberty in 1967 and killed 34 American sailors.
The US invaded Iraq in 1991 and Israel did not lift a finger to help. In fact we had to emergency deploy Patriot missle batteries to appease them.
The US invaded Afghanistan in 2001 and again Israel was not interested in helping its "unsheakable ally". No troops or help in any way.
The US invaded Iraq in 2003 and again our "joined at the hip and favorite ally" somehow was missing in the coalition that fought to stop terrorism.
Israel is our greatest ally in mytholgy. Paul Newman, Charleton Heston, Kirk Douglas, and Moses are the phoney images we believe. Even Laurence of Arabia exposed the lies of Israel.
False. That's you.r opinion and many anti Israel propagandists view. Israel had been fighting their own wars and terrorism throughout the past 6 decades while U.S. where involved in other wars some unilaterally yet you don't single out any other Nation for not fighting alongside USA. USA never fought on behalf of Israel either. That's simply a red herring argument. Canada didn't fight in Vietnam or Iraq War but that doesn't make them less of an ally.
2. Friendly FIre. It happens all the time. There were nearly a dozen investigations clearing Israel and as ally Israel even voluntarily offered monetary compensation to victims.
See: USS Stark incident, Funny how we don't here any complaints about that one. and Iran Air Flight 655.
Israel was instructed by the USA not to ACT in '91 War even though Saddam shot scud missiles into Israel's cities which at time were thought to contain chemical/biological agents.
Again Israel is not full member of NATO, and would of been told not to join the 2001 and 2003 directly. For Israel to directly deploy army against Muslim Nation would set off a regional crisis and pay back against Israel. It's a ridiculous expectation and really non-sequitur to even suggest such utter nonsense.
Phony images: Maybe Peter O'Toole is mythology as well, as Lawrence of Arabia, was not at all an objective individual.
http://globalresearch.ca/index.php?context=va&aid=8110
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canada_and_the_Iraq_War
http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/story/2011/05/15/weston-iraq-invasion-wikileaks.html
Lawrence of Arabia, by the way, passed away more than a decade before the Israeli independence...
I've seen probably a dozen comments here condemning Israel for not helping the US in 1991.
I don't know if these people either don't remember what actually happened, or if they are deliberately trying to mislead people, but it is pathetic and sickening.
The more legitimate question raised should be- other than the United States, 'Who are Israel's reliable allies'?
Dershowitz seems to suggest that just because American allies disagree with Israel's policy towards Iran, American allies must not reliable. However, an informed ally could reasonably argue that Israel's policies towards the Palistinians and the sovereign state of Iran are both wrong and dangerously destabilizing.
Many already think that America does the bidding of Israel, and not vice versa. Dershowitz appears to reinforce this perception by suggesting that America question the reliability of all allies who disagree with Israeli policies. Perhaps Dershowitz even proposes that America disavow its allies in support of total allegiance to all israeli policies.
I just wonder how did a country so small in land mass and population get to be so powerfully destabilizing? Israel is like the little brother always picking a fight with the stronger opponent because little brother knows that the stronger opponent fears not him, but fears the older brother America.
Yes, the author's search for synchophants is arduous but potentially uplifting for America's self image.
And no, Israel is not on that list, rather the reverse.