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The Limits of Friendship

(Times of Israel) David Horovitz - During the presidential debate, two very important men, engaged in a uniquely public job interview for the position of leader of the free world, both went out of their way to tell Israelis how much they care about us. Iran wants us wiped out, and is closing in on the means to achieve that ambition. Both Obama and Romney said they'd stop the regime, but both also gave us reasons to wonder about that - no matter how good their intentions. If I were an Iranian leader watching Monday's debate, I would draw the happy conclusion that both these men know the American public is deeply resistant to a resort to force in its name, in anything but the most desperate circumstances. The key question for Israelis is whether the next American president, whoever he is, will be leading a nation that will want him to intervene in Iran, if all else fails. Iran is betting that when push comes to shove, the U.S. will hold its fire. The question for Israel is whether either of these two men, should they deem it necessary, could persuade America of the imperative to resort to force. Subcontracting our security in the face of Iran to our best ally, even when it pledges over and over that it has our back, is an immense and unprecedented risk. Subcontracting our security to our best ally, when that ally may be too constrained by domestic public circumstances to adequately cover our back, is potentially suicidal. America, as indicated by what the candidates had to say, is anxious to avoid almost any war, at almost any cost - which leaves an agonizing dilemma for Israel on Iran. The writer, the founding editor of the Times of Israel, was previously editor of the Jerusalem Post and the Jerusalem Report.
2012-10-26 00:00:00
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