(Institute for Policy and Strategy-IDC Herzliya) Maj.-Gen. (res.) Amos Gilead - The rapid military takeover of Afghanistan by the Taliban constitutes an expression of the failure of "nation-building" by the U.S. Against this backdrop, the Israeli perspective - that preferred stability over externally "implanting" democracy and a liberal value set on countries of the region - was revalidated. Thus, Israel must continue to support moderate and monarchic Sunni regimes, particularly in Jordan, Egypt and Saudi Arabia. Even if these regimes are not democratic, they still curb the forces of political Islam, fight against what remains of ISIS, and, like Israel, are disturbed by the growing shadow of Iranian influence and Shiite terrorism. It is imperative that the Biden administration dispel criticism about the weakness of American backing to prevent further inclination of the Arab states to appease Iran in what is perceived as a U.S. exit from the region. The U.S. must take determined action on the ground to pre-empt Iran's malign behavior throughout the region.
2021-08-26 00:00:00Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive