What exactly are the US’s treaty obligations with Israel? Seems to me anything that creates any obligation, in the slightest, for Israel will be out of the question?
There is certainly some merit to the debate about the helpfulness or reasoning behind the issue of US/Israeli relations and foreign aid.
http://www.policyalmanac.org/world/archive/crs_israeli-us_relations.shtml
http://www.law.wayne.edu/mcintyre/text/Treaty_Class/israel.PDF
To my knowledge Israel and the United States have no formal treaty of any sort. What they do have is a historical relationship extending back to the very forming of Israel in 1948.
It is sort of a perverse situation. On the one hand Israel is the only significant toehold the US has in that region. On the other maintaining that toehold angers everyone else in the region.
Nevertheless I would venture to say Israel is second only to Great Britain as a US ally (maybe squeeze Canada in there somewhere). While we may not have a formal treaty obligation the US will continue to strongly support Israel for a variety of reasons.
Israel, I think, is certainly happy for the aid and support of the US but they manage their affairs as if the US was not there. While Israel knows the US backs them they are also aware Real Politik is always there and they do their level best to deal with their issues on their own terms and be as self sufficient as possible. Frankly a smart move on their part and it has served them well generally.
Yeah. There’s little doubt that Israel has managed itself (with our money and military aid) quite well. Israel kicks ass and takes names when attacked.
The confluence of the “big three” religions is a problem, though. Having access to the holiest sites of all three religions has certainly caused some uproar.
I can’t go any further, Israel and it’s neighbors is a convoluted path of religion, race and militant nationalism.
I fear it will never be solved without war and a continuation of low-grade attacks.
Pretty sure many (many) moons ago I argued here that Jerusalem should be made into and international neutral zone. A place no country or religion owns and is open to all.
Of course the devil is in the details on just how such a place would be managed and governed but I see no lasting solution other than this. Of course there are many other issues facing the Middle East but at least that would be one perpetual sticking point taken off the table.
That’s been my position for many moons as well.
And this just in…
President George W Bush backs Israeli plan for strike on Iran
He won’t, right? He wouldn’t, right? That would be stupid, right? Times like this, I wish I had Someone to pray to.
It gets worse. The Israelis and Palestinians are playing kissy-face. This is not good from the Iranian point of view. Now could be the time to tip over the table with a war.
[QUOTE=Whack-a-Mole]
To my knowledge Israel and the United States have no formal treaty of any sort. … QUOTE] Thanks. Consider ignorance fought. Eternal vigilance.
Well, in the name of fighting ignorance (and so as not to further hijack the thread) I started this thread asking about treaties between Israel and the US. Feel free to participate there if you feel you have a definitive answer on the question.
-XT
What would be the point? The Iranians learned the lesson of Osirak. The nuclear facilities in question are dispersed, underground and bomb-hardened. The Israelis can’t destroy them with conventional weapons. For that matter, I doubt they could even get their planes within bombing range. Iran is further away than Iraq and has a better air force.