(Commentary) Michael Rubin - Secretary of State John Kerry is insulted that Israel's defense minister, Moshe Yaalon, criticized U.S. strategy and suggested that the U.S. is exuding weakness. One might also consider if there was something to Yaalon's remarks, however undiplomatic they might have been. What is truly revealing, however, is how Kerry acts in other circumstances when officials from other countries make similar statements castigating U.S. policy. The administration's sensitivity to criticism doesn't apply to the Palestinian Authority when its much-heralded partner in peace talks not only rejects American positions but also lionizes terrorists and murderers, hardly an attitude that advances U.S. interests in the region. Bashing allies isn't going to bring respect back to the U.S. on the world stage, nor is forcing allies to genuflect. Sometimes, tough words from friends are necessary. The writer, a resident scholar at the American Enterprise Institute and senior lecturer at the Naval Postgraduate School, has just published Dancing with the Devil: The Perils of Engaging Rogue Regimes.
2014-03-21 00:00:00Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive