Some influential US public opinion molders claim that foreign aid to Israel has been extended at the expense of the US taxpayer and US national security.
Really?
*Israel was compared by Admiral Elmo Zumwalt (a former US’ Chief of Naval Operations) and General Alexander Haig (a former NATO Supreme Commander and US Secretary of State) to the largest US aircraft carrier, which does not require US soldiers on board, and is deployed in a most critical area between Europe-Asia-Africa and between the Mediterranean-Red Sea-Indian Ocean-Persian Gulf. This area is the hotbed of 1,400-year-old intra-Muslim and intra-Arab terrorism and wars, the epicenter of global anti-US Islamic terrorism, the platform of 48% of global oil reserves, and a crucial intersection of Far East-Europe sea lanes.
*Comparing Israel to the largest US aircraft carrier has been a derivative of Israel’s key pro-US geo-strategic features in the face of mutual threats, such as the Ayatollah regime and The Muslim Brotherhood. These features are not typical of other allies:
<Israel’s geo-strategic location;
<Israel’s posture of deterrence, which is critical for the survival of Jordan’s pro-US Hashemite regime and other pro-US Arab regimes;
<Israel’s proven defense and commercial technological capabilities;
<Israel’s contributions to the research & development, exports, employment and superiority of the US defense industries and high tech sector;
<Israel’s rapid and massive self-manned troop mobilization;
<Israel’s game—changing, pro-active military track record has advanced US interests.
<General George Keegan, a former Chief of US Air Force Intelligence assessed that the intelligence shared by Israel with the US equals to 5 CIAs. The annual budget of one CIA is around $15bn;
<Israel’s unconditional identification with the US by the vast majority of Israel’s public and political establishment (L and R, secular and religious).
*According to General Haig, if there were not Israel in the Middle East, then the US would have to invest $15bn-$20bn annually (instead of$3.8bn annual investment in Israel) for the manufacturing of a few real aircraft carriers. These carriers would be deployed to the Indian Ocean and the Mediterranean, accompanied by a few ground divisions, in order to shield US soil from the wrath of Islamic terrorism, secure US’ economic interests, sustain the survival of the US’ Arab allies, and constrain China and Russia.
*Israel’s role as a strategic asset is underscored, when comparing the $3.8bn annual US investment in Israel to the cost of manufacturing new aircraft carriers: $10bn-$13bn for one supercarrier, while smaller carriers may cost $2.5bn-$9bn each. Moreover, deploying and operating a carrier, including a full carrier strike group of destroyers, frigates, submarines, and support vessels, incurs annual costs of $900mn-1.2bn. In addition, the annual cost of deploying a single US ground division to the Middle East is $2bn, excluding the cost of munition and missiles, with higher costs in combat-intense or logistically complex environments.
The bottom line
*The US annual investment in – not foreign aid to – Israel yields a uniquely high Return-on-Investment (R-o-I) by Israel, which is acting as a force and dollar multiplier for the US economy and defense. Israel is also performing as the most productive battle-tested research and development center, as well as the showroom of the US defense and aerospace industries, and an innovation center, sharing ground-breaking battle tactics with the US Armed Forces.
*Israel’s military and intelligence capabilities have reduced the need for US military deployments in the region, enhancing the safety of US soldiers.
*Israel’s military, intelligence and technological capabilities – unmatched by any other ally of the US – have significantly lessened the burden on the US military in the Middle East, saving substantial US resources and lives, and facilitating the diversion of US resources to other regions.
*The intense collaboration between Israel and the US military has dramatically expanded since January 2021, when Israel joined CENTCOM (which oversees US military interests in the Middle East, Central Asia and parts of South Asia), upgrading the performance of both the US and Israel.
This column was published at The Ettinger Report
The views expressed in guest columns are not necessarily the views or positions of the CCNS or its members.
