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Source: http://www.washingtoninstitute.org/html/pdf/Satloff20100720
Israel: Not Just a Strategic Asset, But a Strategic Bonanza
(Washington Institute for Near East Policy) Robert Satloff - It is to America's advantage to have a nation of friends, whose people and government are firm supporters of and advocates for American interests in the broader Middle East. There is no country in the Middle East whose people and government are so closely aligned with the U.S. A commonality of culture and values manifests itself in many ways, from how Israel votes at the UN to how its people view their role as being on the front line against many of the same threats we face. It is to America's advantage to have in Israel an economy that is so closely associated with ours and that is such an innovator in the IT field, in high-tech medicine, and in green technologies, like the electric car. The Obama administration made the economic health and well-being of the U.S. the pillar of its National Security Strategy. Israel - through its intelligence, its technology, and the lessons learned from its own experience in counterterrorism and asymmetric warfare - has saved American lives. And when you add to this Israel's unique counterproliferation efforts - destroying nuclear reactors in Iraq (1981) and Syria (2007) - Israel's contribution to our security is even greater. What we really need in the Middle East are more "Israels" - more strong, reliable, democratic, pro-American allies. It would certainly be nice to have one or two in the Gulf. What we should really want as allies are countries that, with a strong America behind them, can take care of themselves and project our basic values in the process. The writer is executive director of the Washington Institute.