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Gen. Amidror: U.S. Pullout in Syria Will Not Change Much for Israel

(Times of Israel) Raphael Ahren - In the wake of the U.S. withdrawal from northeast Syria, former Israeli national security adviser Maj.-Gen. (res.) Yaakov Amidror believes not much will change, in practical terms, for Israel's security. "I don't think Israel needs to be worried," he said in an interview Thursday. "There are regional groups like the Kurds that need the U.S. to protect them. Israel, when it was founded, made the decision that it shall never depend on anyone for its security." This is not always easy to implement; it requires a universal draft and enormous financial resources, noted Amidror. On the other hand, it puts Israel in a different league than many European states, Saudi Arabia, and the Kurds, who all depend on America for their safety. "We understand that the Middle East from now on will [have to manage] without influence, or with less influence, from the Americans." The U.S. will continue to exert economic pressure on Iran, he stressed. "According to foreign reports, we struck in Syria more than 200 times. The U.S. didn't strike the Iranians even once. Therefore, it's on us, not on them. The job of fighting the Iranians and their influence was always done by us. Our ability to continue to do that will not be limited once the Americans are out." "We dealt with the Iranian aggression until now without the Americans, when they still were in the Middle East. We were alone in this 'war between wars,' as we call it. The fact that they are pulling out does not mean any significant change. It's more about psychology."
2019-10-11 00:00:00
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