By Mike Whitney
Israel is neither a friend nor ally of the United States. Israel looks out for Israel 100 percent of the time and really doesn’t care what happens to anyone else. Americans have been brainwashed into believing that Israel is “our pit-bull in the Middle East” who keeps the natives in line. But this simply isn’t true. Israel’s activities in the region undermine US interests and inflict severe damage to America’s public image. Here’s how foreign policy expert John Mearsheimer summed it up:
Israel is a strategic albatross around our neck. It’s a liability. Let me just point out, the US doesn’t just give Israel lots of weapons and lots of money. It gives it unconditionally. This is truly remarkable. We don’t treat Israel like a normal country and help it because it’s to our benefit strategically. But that’s not what’s going on here. The US does what it does because of the Lobby. (AIPAC) The United States has a political system that’s set up in ways that allow interest groups to have great influence. Well, the Israel lobby is one of the most, if not, the most powerful lobby in the US. And the lobby goes to enormous lengths to make sure that American foreign policy supports Israel unconditionally. And, it is wildly successful.It’s truly impressive at how good the lobby is at getting US foreign policymakers to support Israel hook, line and sinker. PalMedia@PalBint
We don’t blame Israel for figuring out how to rig the system, so it works to their own advantage, after all, the US operates the same way in nations around the world via its media, its NGOs and its intelligence agents. So, it would be hypocritical for us to criticize Israel for behaving the same way that we do. But that doesn’t change the fact that Israel is a strategic liability, in fact, it just underscores the point. Consider, for example, the recent developments with a key strategic initiative (that you might not have even heard about)—upon which America’s future competitiveness depends. If we take the time to understand how critical this initiative is to America’s global power and prosperity and—at the same time—notice how cavalierly Israel has destroyed any prospect of the initiative succeeding, we can get some idea of the callous disregard Israel has for American interests.
What are we talking about?
On 10 September 2023, representatives from India, United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, France, Germany, Italy, Jordan, the EU, and the United States signed a Memorandum of Understanding which committed their countries to a groundbreaking plan that would link production facilities in Asia with markets across the Middle East and Europe. The plan was called the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC) and it was concocted as an alternative to China’s expansive Belt and Road Initiative which has emerged as the Gold Standard of cross-continent infrastructure projects. The BRI includes more than 125 countries and reaches 65 percent of the world’s population. It is, by far, the biggest infrastructure and investment project in history and it is vastly lowering shipping costs, boosting productivity, and enhancing prosperity. The IMEC is Washington’s attempt create an alternate system of trade that duplicates many of the BRI’s features and which—according to the experts—will enhance America’s ability to compete with China in the new century. In other words, Washington is counting on the IMEC to preserve America’s preeminent place in the global order and to assist the US in its broader ambition to economically contain China.
Does that sound important?
You bet it does. Check out this excerpt from the Times of Israel:
US President Joe Biden and his allies on Saturday announced plans to build a rail and shipping corridor linking India with the Middle East and Europe, an ambitious project aimed at fostering economic growth and political cooperation.
“This is a big deal,” said Biden. “This is a really big deal.”
The corridor would help to boost trade, transport energy resources and improve digital connectivity. It would include India, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Jordan, Israel and the European Union, said Jake Sullivan, Biden’s national security adviser….
“We think that the project itself is bold and transformative, but the vision behind the project is equally bold and transformative, and we will see it replicated in other parts of the world as well,” Sullivan said….
Sullivan said the network reflected Biden’s vision for “far-reaching investments” that come from “effective American leadership” and a willingness to embrace other nations as partners. He said the enhanced infrastructure would boost economic growth, help bring countries in the Middle East together and establish that region as a hub for economic activity instead of as a “source of challenge, conflict or crisis” as it has been in recent history.
Biden unveils US-backed transport corridor to link India to EU via Mideast, Israel, Times of Israel
Biden is right. The plan for a massive rail and shipping corridor linking India with the Middle East and Europe, is a very big deal. And Washington has a lot riding on that deal, including its future prosperity and power. Regrettably, Israel can’t be bothered with such trivialities as America’s future, especially when it conflicts with their own fanatical ambition to conquer a minuscule stretch of barren ground in Gaza. In their mind, that’s all that counts.
Keep in mind, Washington has been working on the IMEC for a very long time. In fact, the so-called Abraham Accords are merely a subset of this broader economic integration strategy. The Accords were aimed at normalizing relations between Israel and its Arab neighbors so that traditional rivals would all agree to work collaboratively on the same integration project. But, of course, Israel’s 11 month-long rampage in Gaza has obliterated any hope of Arab leaders working with Israel regardless of pressure from the United States. Just last week, Saudi Arabia—which is a key node in the IMEC—announced that it was ‘calling it quits’ and would suspend all efforts to establish diplomatic relations with Israel. This is from an article at Responsible Statecraft:
In a televised speech today, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman stated that, “The [Saudi] kingdom will not stop its tireless work towards the establishment of an independent Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital. We affirm that the kingdom will not establish diplomatic relations with Israel without that.”
With this statement, the Crown Prince appeared to dash the Biden’s administration’s lingering hopes of achieving a landmark normalization deal between Israel and Saudi Arabia, which would have also given Riyadh a U.S. defense agreement as well as a pledge to assist in the establishment of a civilian nuclear program.
Although the Biden administration had previously signaled that they might be willing to move forward with the U.S.-Saudi defense agreement even in the absence of normalization with Israel, MBS’ announcement appears to finally kill the possibility of the so-called “Grand Bargain” that Presidential advisors Brett McGurk, Jake Sullivan, and other senior Biden officials had hoped would offer a means of countering China, resolving the Gaza crisis, and topping Trump’s Abraham Accords all in one….
MBS’ clear statement of Saudi support for the establishment of a Palestinian state demonstrates the impact of the events of the past year. Israel’s devastating campaign against Gaza – cutting off water and electricity, dropping an average of 42 bombs every day, and blocking adequate food, health supplies, and other basic necessities from entering the territory – have provoked worldwide condemnation, which is strongest in the Middle East. MBS: No Saudi-Israel normalization until Palestinians get a state, Responsible Statecraft
No one is blaming Israel for responding to the attack on October 7. What Israel is blamed for is its 11-month-long bloodbath that has killed tens of thousands of civilians while reducing 80% of all the structures in Gaza to rubble. That’s not an acceptable response to terrorism. That is genocide.
Of course, if we are going to be honest, the Gaza genocide is just the tip of the iceberg. If we really want to appreciate how much of a burden Israel is, then look no further than the US State Department’s own website. Here’s what you’ll find:
The 75-year partnership (between the US and Israel) has been built on mutual interests and shared democratic values from its inception, with Israelis and Americans united by their commitment to democracy, economic prosperity, and regional security.
SECURITY ASSISTANCE AND COOPERATION
The abiding U.S. commitment to Israel’s security is buttressed by robust security assistance to Israel – including the 10-year, $38 billion MOU that was concluded in 2016. Consistent with the MOU, the United States provides $3.3 billion annually in Foreign Military Financing and an additional $500 million in missile defense funding. Missile defense funding supports several cooperative missile defense programs, including David’s Sling and Iron Dome, as well as Arrow, Arrow II, and Arrow III, whose life-saving capabilities have proved vital to Israel’s security. In 2022, the United States provided $1 billion in supplemental funding to replenish Israel’s stock of missile interceptors for the Iron Dome….
REGIONAL PEACE AND COOPERATION
The United States is committed to promoting a more integrated, prosperous, and secure Middle East that benefits all its people. We are dedicated to deepening and expanding normalization and integration between Israel and Arab and Muslim-majority states – as exemplified by the Abraham Accords, other normalization agreements… the United States – advances regional integration, cooperation, and development to augment peace, security, and economic prosperity for the wider region, including initiatives that could strengthen the Palestinian economy and improve Palestinians’ quality of life. The United States remains committed to advancing a comprehensive, negotiated two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict….
As part of our efforts to promote a two-state solution and regional peace, the United States is programming the first two years of a five-year funding plan (a $100 million tranche)… to strengthen people-to-people engagement between Israelis and Palestinians. US Relations with Israel, US State Department
It’s shocking, isn’t it? $3 billion here, $38 billion there. Pretty soon, you’re talking real money.
And you might notice that all the money is funneled in one direction: from Washington to Tel Aviv. Never the reverse. Why is that?
Notice, also, how the author boasts about the the Abraham Accords, and the “regional integration” projects (IMEC), and even the elusive “two-state solution”, all of which are of paramount importance to the United States but all of which have been deliberately sabotaged by our ‘good friend’ Israel.
I don’t know how any objective-minded person can review the facts and not draw the same conclusion as Mearsheimer, that Israel is a strategic liability and an albatross.
If we were smart, we’d close our embassy in Jerusalem and recall our ambassador immediately. Enough is enough.
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This article was originally published on The Unz Review.
Michael Whitney is a renowned geopolitical and social analyst based in Washington State. He initiated his career as an independent citizen-journalist in 2002 with a commitment to honest journalism, social justice and World peace.
He is a Research Associate of the Centre for Research on Globalization (CRG).
Featured image is from TUR
