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Source: https://www.washingtoninstitute.org/policy-analysis/dont-mistake-friction-broken-alliance-israel
Don't Mistake Friction for a Broken Alliance with Israel
(Washington Institute for Near East Policy) Michael Singh - President Trump has been publicly pressuring Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu in recent weeks, trying to get Israel to pull back from its attacks on Hizbullah in Lebanon - a key demand of Iran. The U.S. and Israel have complementary but not identical interests. For the Americans, success in the war with Iran may mean lower gas prices and the elimination of the nuclear threat. For the Israelis, and for the UAE and Kuwait, success also means safety from Iranian and Hizbullah missiles and drones that pose little direct threat to the U.S. Such dynamics are common between allies. Large states are perennially frustrated by their smaller partners who fail to do as they are told. Meanwhile, the small state will feel it contributed blood and treasure but was denied a seat at the decision-making table. Yet such frustrations obscure a remarkable reality. The war with Iran is the first in decades in which the U.S. military has operated in tandem with a partner as a near-equal. Israel took on a significant share of the work of striking targets in Iran. And elsewhere in the region, Israel has operated largely solo against mutual enemies of the U.S., like Hizbullah, which, prior to 9/11, has been responsible for more American deaths than any other terrorist group. President Trump should not be too quick to claim the ability to rein in Israel. Diplomacy often works best when backed by credible threats, and Israel offers a threat that can enhance rather than endanger Trump's diplomatic efforts. In addition, U.S. officials should avoid scapegoating Israel. Weakening America's most capable ally in the Middle East may mean fewer opportunities to shift burdens and thus more work, not less, for the U.S. in the region. As Winston Churchill astutely observed, the only thing worse than fighting with allies is fighting without them. The writer is managing director and a senior fellow at The Washington Institute.