cross-posted from: https://lemmy.ml/post/20919616
Senior White House figures privately told Israel that the U.S. would support its decision to ramp up military pressure against Hezbollah — even as the Biden administration publicly urged the Israeli government in recent weeks to curtail its strikes, according to American and Israeli officials.
Not everyone in the administration was on board with Israel’s shift, despite support inside the White House, the officials said. The decision to focus on Hezbollah sparked division within the U.S. government, drawing opposition from people inside the Pentagon, State Department and intelligence community who believed Israel’s move against the Iran-backed militia could drag American forces into yet another Middle East conflict.
Officials in the intelligence community, in briefings and talks with members of Congress last week, had said they were increasingly worried about the potential for a direct ground confrontation between Israel and Hezbollah. Similar conversations were occurring in the State Department, where officials were concerned about the mounting civilian death toll in Lebanon.
The internal administration division seems to have dissipated somewhat in recent days, with top U.S. officials convening Monday at the White House with President Joe Biden to discuss the situation on the ground. Most agreed that the conflict, while fragile, could offer an opportunity to reduce Iran’s influence in Lebanon and the region.
Still, the White House is walking a fine line, U.S. and Israeli officials said. The Biden administration wants to support Israel’s actions against a U.S.-designated terrorist group that has killed Americans and threatens the region. But it is not comfortable endorsing Israel’s campaign completely — or publicly — because it is worried it will creep too far into Lebanese territory, instigating an all-out war, one of the U.S. officials said.
I have never supported Zionism and never will. However, I don’t think most people truly understand how important Israel is to the US as a strategic ally. It’s not some elaborate conspiracy, they’re just a key aspect of US hegemony.
Can you elaborate on how and why Israel is such an important ally? It’s got to be more than just a foothold in the region, surely?
In terms of weapons and cyber security israel is one of the top nations. Their weapons are ‘battlefield tested’ ( on innocent Palestinians), and their cybersecurity is pretty strong. In addition to that, they will always do what the US says, should the US abandon them they will immediately turn to another country to support them, now this country has top us technology.
Also they have nukes, so you must keep the country safe and stable. If Israel is invaded by the surrounding countries, suddenly Egypt has nukes, and will no longer need to rely so heavily on us support.
Illegal nukes, and technology developed with US money and in partnership with the US.
I guess your argument amounts to a sunk cost argument.
Not really, nukes and military tech don’t just disappear. I’m not for Israel, but there’s a reason it’s not as clear cut as people pretend it is
That is the definition of the sunk cost fallacy.
Because they oppose Iran. Same reason why we provided weapons to Iraq.
Israel offers no strategic advantage to the U.S. The U.S. has extensive military presence in the region without their land. The U.S. does not have a significant or unique trade relationship with Israel (we mostly just trade diamonds). And Israel offers no special capability to the U.S. regarding technology or foreign intelligence.
Our relationship with Israel is based on two things: mythology and political donations. That’s it. That’s all it has ever been. Conservatives (including neo-libs) who receive money from Israel occasionally make up fake reasons, but those reasons always disintegrate under the lightest scrutiny.
It’s time to end our extremely one-sided relationship with Israel. This is a deadly, toxic relationship that destabilizes our more profitable relationships with Israel’s neighbors in the middle east.