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Source: https://www.foxnews.com/opinion/amb-gordon-sondland-americas-aid-israel-bargain-us-security
America's Aid to Israel Is a Bargain for U.S. Security
(Fox News) Amb. Gordon Sondland - Every few years, Americans ask: Why do we send billions of dollars to Israel? It is a fair question. Every dollar spent overseas deserves scrutiny. But the debate often ignores what America receives in return. That is the wrong way to evaluate any investment. Few of America's allies combine world-class intelligence, battlefield-tested military innovation, cutting-edge cyber capabilities, missile-defense development, entrepreneurial technology and democratic resilience while sitting at the crossroads of the world's most volatile region. If Israel did not exist, the U.S. would spend decades - and likely hundreds of billions of dollars - trying to recreate the strategic advantages it provides. During the Cold War, Israel became a dependable democratic partner in a region where Soviet influence was growing. After the Cold War, intelligence cooperation expanded dramatically as terrorism became America's primary security concern. More recently, Israel has become an indispensable partner in confronting Iran, developing advanced missile defenses, countering cyber threats, and fostering the regional cooperation reflected in the Abraham Accords. The alliance has endured under Republican and Democratic presidents alike because it has consistently served American interests, not because any administration gave Israel a free pass. Israeli intelligence has helped expose terrorist plots, monitor Iran's military and nuclear programs, and disrupt weapons trafficking. Joint research has produced advances in missile-defense systems, while cooperation in cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, unmanned aircraft, electronic warfare and battlefield medicine has strengthened both militaries. Israel is an active contributor to America's security, technological leadership, and military readiness. Those who believe abandoning Israel would save America money almost certainly have the arithmetic backward. Replacing what Israel contributes - in intelligence, innovation, deterrence, military cooperation, and regional stability - would cost far more than sustaining the alliance we have today. Good allies are valuable. Great allies are rare. Few alliances have contributed more to American security than the partnership between the U.S. and Israel. The writer served as U.S. ambassador to the EU.