Israel has NO CHOICE, and the Israeli public will not allow for a nuclear Iran...

The special relationship with the US looks more and more like it's history. After all, the Arabs and the Iranians have the oil, and there's nothing Israel can do to help the US out of Iraq. Allies of superpowers are allies as long as they're useful. When they become a liability, they are discarded like a used piece of toilet paper.

Don't fool yourself. The Israeli public knows that we're small and they're big, they're right and we're wrong, and there's nothing we can do about it!
Every family here has an evacuation plan, and so do I. I know where my trench is, but I'll certainly make sure to get my kids on a plane in time.

The special relationship with the US looks more and more like it's history. After all, the Arabs and the Iranians have the oil, and there's nothing Israel can do to help the US out of Iraq. Allies of superpowers are allies as long as they're useful. When they become a liability, they are discarded like a used piece of toilet paper.

Given the total number as well as population density of Ashkenazi Jews in Israel, it is a good policy for Israel to develop replacement and renewable energy source (possibly even better water desalination process), so that, when oil is running out, Israel will become the new gold mine to the US, hence reverse the US foreign policy in Israel's favor.

The special relationship with the US looks more and more like it's history. After all, the Arabs and the Iranians have the oil, and there's nothing Israel can do to help the US out of Iraq. Allies of superpowers are allies as long as they're useful. When they become a liability, they are discarded like a used piece of toilet paper.<Shirrush

Maybe you don't need our assistance after all. Like the young adult who finally is ready to be out on his own you are making sounds like its time for you to run all of your own risks in the big bad world. The Cold War is over and you don't need US anymore. Our assistance comes with too many strings and is now interfering with your future plans. Very well then....

 

I sincerely wish you all the best and God's speed with your adventure.

 

Check Six

 

Rocky

I get the impression that there are some citizens of the USA posting on this site who are sitting fat dumb and happy under the stars and bars thinking its' no skin of their nose if the Iranians point nuclear tipped missiles at Tel-Aviv.

Well here is a thought. The Iranians probably won't do that. Missiles have a return address, and the retaliation you risk with a nuclear strike is not worth thinking about.  What the Iranians MIGHT do is distribute boxes full of enriched Uranium 235 among Isalmic fanatic folk even loonier than themselves, who will then export these boxes labeled "spare parts for tractors" to local terrorists who will then explode them in shopping malls in New-York/San-Diego/Seattle/Tel-Aviv/London etc spraying clouds of radioactive dust over a wide and densely populated area. And you will never know where it came from. Look up "radiation sickness".  I didn't invent that theory. It is a threat scenario that the CIA take seriously. And if it ever does happen, you will know who provided the Uranium, even if you don't know who blew it in your face. I think the USA have to look out for themselves, too.

I didn't mean to insult any freedom loving American citizen, of course. But never mind the evidence, there is evidence enough that the world is full of Islamic fanatics who are willing to do great harm to the USA - I don't need to remind you of examples - are you going to risk remaining defenceless against them just because you haven't got enough evidence? The USA didn't have a lot of evidence that the Japanese were going to attack Pearl Harbour or that Al-Quaida were going to attack New-York, are you going to fall for it again?  If you hang around too long waiting for evedence you might get it delivered by the owner and you wont like it.

The special relationship with the US looks more and more like it's history. After all, the Arabs and the Iranians have the oil, and there's nothing Israel can do to help the US out of Iraq. Allies of superpowers are allies as long as they're useful. When they become a liability, they are discarded like a used piece of toilet paper.

I get the impression that there are some citizens of the USA posting on this site who are sitting fat dumb and happy under the stars and bars thinking its' no skin of their nose if the Iranians point nuclear tipped missiles at Tel-Aviv.

Battar, for future reference, just in case this was an unintentional mix-up, the Flag of the USA is sometimes known as the "stars and stripes."  Part of what VV might have been reacting to is that you may have been trying to make some sort of ethnic insult by referring to the "stars and bars" which is a name for the Battle Flag of the Confederate States of America.  Not that I, for one, would be insulted in the least by being associated with either flag, but some people might have thought you may have chosen your words intentionally with full knowledge of these facts....

 

I was looking through a foreign affairs publication at Borders Book Store (cheaper than buying it), and the main article proposed that over a 10 year period the United States withdraw all troops from Europe and Japan, and cut all military assistance to Israel and Egypt.  According to the author this view towards disengagement is gaining ground in both political parties.   This neo-isolationism may not be practicable or desirable in certain instances but it does appeal to a large number of Americans. 

 

With respect to Israel, I would suggest that the primary groups of Americans who support Israel are Fundamentalist Christians who see the state of Israel as fullfilling biblical prophecy, The American Jewish Community, and those disposed to support a Western democratic people over the collection of medieval despotic regimes that surround Israel.  In a democrat administration Fundamentalists would have no voice, but even in a Republican scenario I think the political power of that group has peaked, but I hasten to add that is merely my impression.  Because of intermarriage and low birth rates the Jewish population in America is declining while the Muslim population is increasing, this has obvious long term implications  for U.S. support for Israel.  The third group are the descendants of those Americans who felt great sympathy for the Armenians, but would not support Woodrow Wilson's proposal that the U.S. accept a League of Nations mandate to protect them, and later supported Britain against the Nazis, but not to the point of actually wanting to intervene.

 

So barring Battar's apocalyptic scenario,  unfortunately I see U.S. support for Israel gradually declining.

 

 

    

  

 

 

Nah.  You can be our
canary in the coal mine for U.S.  What
with your sense of entitlement and all.

v^2

I sense much condescention on this thread from you raptor.... do you feel that b/c israel relies on the US for so much of its defense it should be obedient, and not complain when they disagree with American policy. My tax money also finds its way in the foreign aid to Israel, we obviously differ in are understanding of what this money is worth. It seems to me, unlike much of US foreign aid, the Israeli's actually give the US much in return for the aid. It is my opinion that the relationship between Israel and US is about mutual interest and not a poor vagrant being given a donation.

When considering the Iran issue you must readily agree that this is not just a middle east problem but a western problem and  Israel is checkoslovakia (in '39) in this equation, should Israel not re-think the strategic relationship when such a breach occurs? Is Israel supposed to be a grateful little child and smile and pretend nothing is wrong b/c the U.S. has given much to Israel, or be afraid the US will cut them off??? Is Israel supposed to toe the American line even it means risking complete destruction??? For me, when regarding the Iranian issue, their can be no compromise, their can be no willful ignorance, even if this means Israel will piss off a few American tax payer in its vehement opposition to the Bush's about face, it is a far better alternative then to cease to exist.