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The Lesson from Afghanistan: Israel Must Recognize the Limits of Superpower Support
(Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs) Brig.-Gen. (res.) Yossi Kuperwasser - The rapid collapse of the Afghan government and its U.S.-backed security forces shows how the American attempt to instill in Afghans a liberal worldview in the space of 20 years was politically and culturally impossible and how misguided that approach was. But the more fundamental problem is that the U.S. decision to leave Afghanistan is part of an American strategy to reduce its role as an international superpower, especially in the Middle East. This may encourage radical Islamic elements such as Iran, al-Qaeda, ISIS, and elements of the Muslim Brotherhood, including Hamas, to challenge the U.S. and its allies, including Israel. The essential lesson for Israel is that with all the importance of Israel's strategic partnership with the U.S., Israel must recognize the limitations of a superpower's backing and adhere closely to the principle that Israel will defend itself on its own. This is a relevant lesson in the Iranian context when the Americans project hesitation in response to Tehran's many provocations. The writer, Director of the Project on Regional Middle East Developments at the Jerusalem Center, was formerly head of the Research Division of IDF Military Intelligence.