(Newsweek) Jonathan Schanzer - During the Cold War with the Soviet Union, Israel embraced its role as a democratic, pro-Western bastion with a professional military that was both willing and able to deter Moscow's clients in the Middle East. In the wake of the September 11, 2001, attacks, Washington needed capable and like-minded allies in the "War on Terror." Israel, with its many years of experience defending its citizens from terrorism, was a valued partner. Today, Israel is one of the few military powers capable of defending American interests, even when America is unwilling or unable to do so. It has played this role for years, taking out the Iraqi and Syrian nuclear programs and undermining the Iranian program through cyber and other means. The writer, a former terrorism finance analyst at the U.S. Treasury Department, is senior vice president for research at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies.
2021-09-09 00:00:00Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive