"Tough Decisions" Demanded of Israel

JINSA Report
#: 1,007
20 July '10

Andrew J. Shapiro, Assistant Secretary of State for Political-Military Affairs, was dispatched last Friday to the Brookings Institution to advance the charm offensive that seeks to convince Israelis and American supporters of Israel that the Obama Administration is Israel's best friend. He worked hard, but his bottom line was that Israel - not the Palestinians and not the Arab states - needs to do more for peace, specifically the "two state solution" to which the administration is wedded but which appears increasingly unlikely.

He described the work of the U.S.-Israel Joint Political-Military Group (JPMG) and the Defense Policy Advisory Group (DPAG) and touted the Juniper Cobra joint exercise. He talked about Israel's Qualitative Military Edge (QME). He mentioned money - lots and lots of money for Israel - but missed the $186 million in training and infrastructure so far (with $100 million more in 2010) for the Palestinian Security Force better known as Dayton's Army. He didn't mention the $400 million for the Lebanese Armed Forces for training and equipment that is shared with Hezbollah - while unnamed CENTCOM officers speculate about having the United States open relations with Hezbollah. He didn't talk about what training Israel's enemies does to the QME. He did mention the decision to notify Congress of the sale to Israel of the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) and he talked about Iron Dome.

He didn't claim the JPMG and DPAG were Obama Administration inventions; just that they were improved but offered no details. He didn't mention that Juniper Cobra has been around since 2001 - and although this year's exercise was the largest, they have been growing in size and complexity from the first one. The money comes from a 2007 decision to fix Israel's Security Assistance as a long-term item. Shapiro said, "The United States supports Israel's defense needs through both our government-to-government Foreign Military Sales program and Direct Commercial Sales, including releasing advanced products restricted to only the closest of allies and partners." That would be the JSF, which Israel does not want because it cannot have access to the main computer to install its own systems (the British can't either). But in March, the administration denied Israel's request for nine C-130J cargo planes, allowing only one with an option for two more.

(Read full report)

If you enjoy "Love of the Land", please be a subscriber. Just put your email address in the "Subscribe" box on the upper right-hand corner of the page.
.