JINSA Report #559 Israel as a Security Asset for the United States

JINSA
1779 Massachusetts Ave., NW
Suite 515
Washington, DC 20036

202-667-3900
202-667-0601 Fax

March 27, 2006

JINSA Report #559

Israel as a Security Asset for the United States

In 1979, JINSA published a "quick reference guide" to the capabilities
Israel brings to U.S.-Israel security cooperation. We review it
periodically, revise it slightly and republish it when some people -
including professors at Harvard and the University of Chicago - seem
unsure why the U.S. regards Israel as a partner in a difficult region
rather than the beneficiary of "The Lobby." Twenty-seven years after its
debut, the list remains largely intact. Israel has:

1. A secure location in a crucial part of the world
2. A well-developed military infrastructure
3. The ability to maintain, service and repair U.S.-origin equipment
4. An excellent deep-water port in Haifa
5. Modern air facilities
6. A position close to sea-lanes and an ability to project power over
long distances
7. A domestic air force larger than many in Western Europe and
possessing more up-to-
date hardware
8. Multilingual capabilities, including facility in English, Arabic and
the languages of the
(former) Soviet Union
9. Combat familiarity with Soviet/Russian-style tactics and equipment
10. The ability to assist U.S. naval fleets, including common equipment
11. The ability to support American operations and to provide emergency
air cover
12. A democratic political system with a strong orientation to support
the United States
and the NATO system.

In 1996, we noted that Israel's military R&D capabilities complement
those of the U.S.; its intelligence services cooperate closely with ours
- to our benefit; and large numbers of American troops train in Israel.

In 2006, we would add that, in large measure through JINSA's Law
Enforcement Exchange Program, American police and law enforcement
officials have reaped the benefit of close cooperation with Israeli law
enforcement in the areas of first response and counter-terrorism practices.

Israel and the United States are drawn together by common values and
common threats to our well-being. The proliferation of weapons of mass
destruction across the Middle East and Asia, and the ballistic missile
technology to deliver systems across wide areas require cooperation in
intelligence, technology and security policy. Terrorism and the origins
and dissemination of violent Islamic radicalism also need to be
addressed multi-laterally when possible.

In a volatile region so vital to the U.S., where other states cannot be
relied upon, it would be foolish to disengage - or denigrate - an ally
such as Israel. The war against terrorists and the states that harbor
and support them will be long and hard, and success will depend in no
small measure on the allies who stand with us and with whom we stand.

To view this JINSA Report online click on the link below.
http://www.jinsa.org/JINSAReports/3364

___________________________________________________
To unsubscribe from JINSA Reports, visit:
http://www.jinsa.org/lists/unsubscribe.html

And to subscribe to any JINSA mailing-list:
http://www.jinsa.org/lists/subscribe.html

Access past JINSA Reports at: http://www.jinsa.org/

Comments? Send e-mail to info@jinsa.org