Is Israel's interest America's interest?

Question

I don't want sentimentalist responses, like morality arguements, "Israel" is the only democ argument" - I would like to know in plain dispassionate policy language, if Israel's interest is America's interest. Please don't get emotional.

Answer 1

I would say, No. Many Jewish activists (leftist, rightwing, libral etc) (not all!) have convinced the American public that Israel's interests = US interest. This has been debated fiercely recently and there are some serious arguments questioning this flawed and dangerous worldview.

Why I personally believe the interests diverge:

1. Israel receives billions of dollars in grants from American tax payers annually and then they claim that they have the highest GDP in the region. This logic is troubling because a good reason they have a high GDP per capita, is that they have been receiving this generous money from the American people. After all if they have a high GDP, then why they still need money from American people, some of whom barely could afford to send their kids to college? You see the flaws of this argument.

2. A good part we have terrorist problems is because of our generous support for Israelis outrageous human rights abuses against the Arab and Muslim people. If you witnessed the recent war in Lebonan. You may agree with me. So again pro-Israeli people pretend that we have a "common" enemy, but again this logic is flawed. Because if we stop being lawyers of Israel and stop providing lethal American weapons that Israel use against Arab civilians then, if it does not stop altoghether, the terrorist problem that America faces today would be reduced a great deal.

3. It is not a secret, nor racist, paranoia or bigotry to admit that some pro-Israeli ideologues (who happen to be Jewish) have taken hold of most of America's think-tanks, media outlets, policy organizations etc etc. I give them full credit for commanding this influence over our policies but these people, if not fully, are partly responsible for our the current foreign policy disaster, with American kids from the South having their heads chopped off on hot deserts of Iraq every day instead of dating their girlfriends or enjoying life here at home.

Recently, much evidence has emerged about the Israeli role and some Jewish individuals' who publicly declare their allegiance for Israel (instead of their country of birth: USA) in initiating this war. If you are an observant citizen, nowadays, the same people who duped American people into going to war against Iraq are preparing the minds of the masses for another war against Iran.

I am not arguing that US should favour destruction of Israel, Let me quote from spiderman movie to clarify my point: "with great power, comes great responsibility" . I think as the world super power we (Americans) should have a more balanced policy towards the region that only reflects our national interests first, interest of our allies second (including Arab allies), not those of Israel's alone.

Answer 2

There is a difference between being sentimental and comparing facts that show parallelism, particularly in this case. All I can do to answer this is to point out similarities and divergencies from what is best for each country. And in the end that is mostly opinion which is formed to a large part by one's entire background, and is as much subjective as objective. I will try to remain objective and address just a few categories.
1.Both Israel and the USA are fundamentally transcendental societies, however Israel propagates a state religion while tolerating Pluralism and the USA espouses Pluralism while eschewing a state religion (although it is thought of as a Christian nation). So there is a difference there. If Israel were not there then there would be one less nation of that type left on Earth.
2. Both have free market economic systems nominally operating as capitalism but there are some socialists programs in both countries.
3. Both countries and their citizens by and large share the same moral values and desires for improving the lot of mankind worldwide.
4. Whether you like it or not both function as democracies (or at least try to).
5. The result of the two systems of law have similar objectives (establishing safety for the general public while maintaining individual freedoms) although the two systems are quite different. In the USA you are judged by a jury (except where mitigated by court circumstances and local rules for lessor crimes); in Israel a court is formed by judges who decide based upon the facts of the case.
6. Both governments (and the citizens) look toward progressing through scientific endeavor and the application of technology while many other countries in the world have systems which promulgate the antithesis of that.
One may make many other comparisons but time is limited.
In short there are far more similarities than differences. Is that enough to make them worthy allies? Is that enough to make Israel worthy of consideration when the USA forms its international policy? That is for you to decide. Will the relationship be good for both. I feel it has been (witness the many scientific, technical and medical advances that have come from both compared to the rest of the world) and will continue to be.

Answer 3

America needs Israel now more than ever, not the other way around. America created Israel to have a military foothold in the middle east, so thats exactly what it is, they supply Israel with all the best weapons that they themselves have, they offer manpower support, and they dont do it just to be nice. Andd now, with this middle east crisis, the Irak invasion, Iran nukes, Afganistan, etc.... Israel is their Aorta Artery. So yes, Israel's intersts are America's interests.

Answer 4

Of course not. Isreal has it's interest and the US has it's interest. The US supports Isreal but not the other way around.