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The Middle East Needs More Israels

(Foreign Policy) Robert Satloff - The seismic events the world has witnessed since the Tunisian revolution have done much to silence those attached passionately to the idea that nothing so enrages Arabs as America's friendship with Israel. In fact, as we now know, it is the corruption, venality, torture, and inequality of Arab governments, not Israel or U.S.-Israel relations, that enrages Arabs so much that they are willing to fight and die to change their reality. Last July, I argued in a debate that "what we really need in the Middle East are more 'Israels' - not more Jewish states, of course, but more strong, reliable, democratic, pro-American allies." I hope that the Arab Spring produces a few more Middle Eastern states that are "strong, reliable, democratic, pro-American allies." In the meantime, as Israeli Ambassador Michael Oren persuasively argues, Washington should be wise to do everything it can to strengthen and protect the only one it has. The writer is executive director of the Washington Institute for Near East Policy.
2011-04-29 00:00:00
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