|
Trending Topics
|
Source: http://www.jpost.com/Opinion/Why-America-needs-Israel-400492
Why America Needs Israel
(Jerusalem Post) Eric R. Mandel - For years, Israeli and American interests have been virtually identical: stopping the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction in the Muslim world, fighting Iranian hegemonic ambitions and opposing state sponsorship of terror. With the American withdrawal from many theaters of operation in the Middle East, Israel's vital strategic location and human intelligence have become indispensable for U.S. security. According to the Washington Free Beacon, Israel "is providing significant intelligence support in the U.S.-led campaign against...ISIS. Israeli satellites overfly the battle area at angles and frequencies unavailable to American satellites." Because of repeated wars of self-defense, Israel has unfortunately become a test track for American munitions and treatment of wounded in combat. America's armed services have utilized this battlefield experience that has saved our soldiers' lives, while increasing the chance of success of future American military missions. American anti-missile defense is greatly enhanced by the Israeli experience. According to the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, "Israel's military research and development complex has pioneered many cutting-edge technologies that are transforming the face of modern war, including cyber weapons, unmanned vehicles (land robots and aerial drones, sensors and electronic warfare systems), and advanced defenses for military vehicles." At home, our homeland security and counter-terrorism efforts would be dramatically weaker in strategy and effectiveness if we did not have the Israeli experience and know-how. Moreover, the threats to American interests in the Middle East would be exponentially greater if Israel hadn't destroyed the Iraqi and Syrian nuclear reactors. Imagine Islamic State today with captured nuclear material. The Israeli defense and political leadership unanimously show a profound appreciation of America's generosity in supplying military aid. But it is not a one-way street. Most of the military aid allocated to Israel is spent in the U.S., creating nearly 70,000 jobs in America.