(New York Times) Shmuel Rosner - At the end of the third U.S. presidential debate on foreign policy issues, I had to reconcile two competing feelings. As an Israeli, I can't help but have a childish glee over the frequent mention of my country, a reminder of its important place in U.S. foreign policy. At the same time, I can't help but wonder: Is this attention not a bit too much? There were more than 30 mentions of Israel. Giving Israel such prominence in a discussion of U.S. foreign affairs makes the country stronger and seem larger than it really is, thereby deterring enemies who notice how far American leaders are willing to go in stating their allegiance to an old ally. But all this support has a down side as well: It can make Israel a target for all those wanting to hurt America without actually making war against the U.S.
2012-10-29 00:00:00Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive