By Ryan Jones
Apr 02, 2006
A report in the latest edition of Geostrategy-Direct suggests that in Washington Israel's image as a strong, self-reliant ally is beginning to tarnish amid plans for an additional surrender of land and a clear hesitancy to fully crush the threat of Palestinian Arab terror.
Up until a few years ago US President George W. Bush viewed Israel as a powerful ally capable of deterring any foe, according to the report.
But when it became evident Israel would not militarily defeat the current "Palestinian" terror campaign and a program of "disengagement" was proposed as an alternative that perception was drastically altered, said a leading US analyst with close ties to the White House:
"The feeling in both the administration and belatedly among many conservatives in Congress is that Israel has to accept the fate of a small nation reliant on a superpower patron."
What's worse, Israel's back peddling is having a negative impact on America's own war on terror, in particular its mission in Iraq.
A senior Bush aide was quoted as saying in a conversation with a leading Republican House member:
"Israel screwed us up with its unilateral withdrawal plan because this is what is expected of us in Iraq."
But that position was not vocalized publically because "we can't be seen as intervening."
And so Washington ultimately gave its blessing to last summer's Gaza-Samaria withdrawal as a means of winning support from an Arab world long determined to see the Jews relieved of their biblical lands.
The report indicates that the policies of Israel's current leadership risk further driving the US into the arms of its Muslim neighbors as the Jewish state is increasingly seen as a liability instead of a stalwart and capable partner in the battle against global Islamic terror.