Israel has been watching the “Arab spring” with some trepidation, according to Ted Koppel:
It is provocative, but not entirely inaccurate, to suggest that U.S. foreign policy these past few months has been sufficiently erratic to make America’s allies reconsider the degree to which we can be trusted—and our adversaries re-evaluate the degree to which we must be feared.
The canary in the coal mine on such matters is Israel. None of America’s allies is more sensitive to even the most subtle changes in the international environment, or more conscious of the slightest hint of diminished support from Washington…
Overshadowing all other concerns is the fear that Iran is poised to reap enormous benefits from the so-called Arab Spring. “Even without nukes,” one top official told me, “Iran picks up the pieces. With nukes, it takes the house…”
The Israeli government is so concerned that America’s adversaries may miscalculate U.S. intentions that it is privately urging Washington to make it clear that the U.S. would intervene in Saudi Arabia should the survival of that government be threatened.
You read that right. US ally Israel is urging the US to intervene in support of US ally Saudi Arabia, a country that refuses admission to anyone who has an Israeli stamp in their passport.
Now read the whole thing.
If true, the implied proposition may equate to this:
Saudi Arabia is as attractive a conquest to influential Islamist radicals as the region’s legacy enemy, Israel.
If we accept that proposition, an important adjunct is readily implied:
Somehow, through an intermediary or directly, vital intelligence on radical Islamic players has been shared between Israel and Saudi Arabia.
Just a thought
Israel is smart, in that it’s absolutely fine if your neighbors don’t like you or invite you to tea, so long as you know they will leave you the hell alone and not try to poison your dog.
If the Israelis think they can depend on this country for more than just lip service platitudes of support from this President they are more naive than I thought…..and I don’t think they are that deluded. They can try to urge the Oneness to support them, but the Israelis pretty much know that until the Obamanation is gone, that they are pretty much on their own.
They’ve always been on their own.
And they know it. Just minutes after their infancy they were attacked from all sides and the world didn’t do a damned thing about it. They aren’t under any illusions.
Agree, Liz. Back about 10 years ago, Netanyahu had a blog on which I commented the same conclusions that we could turn out to be very fickle friends, which got some outrage on the American side, but not on the Israeli.
But they do learn a lot from our methods.
Have you ever read “The Tunnels of Cu Chi”? The Israelis have, and they’re taking it to heart.
I just saw pigs flying out of the President’s ass. Now I truly have seen everything…. Israel supporting Abdullah and the Saudi status quo…… Wonderland is here.
Subsunk
The Founding Fathers warmed us about the excesses of democracy. The way things are going, I’m about ready to settle for an honest King, or maybe Military Dictator. Lex, are you available? Hey! If you are King or Dictator you can straighten that daughter right out, no pesky civil rights, or anything!
Nah. I do love the U.S. Constitution, and just now kissed my copy of it.
Tempting thought to those of a Caesarish or Uptonian persuasian, ain’t it?