Israel’s decision to forego U.S. military aid that is set to be cut by the federal budget sequester might be seen as the latest security risk taken by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for the sake of appeasing the Obama administration. In fact, Netanyahu’s gesture is aimed beyond the White House, and beyond the present debate, acknowledging that the advent of the Tea Party has changed the future direction of American policy.
Netanyahu is a canny observer of U.S. politics, and both his outgoing and incoming ambassadors to the U.S. have American roots. Newcomer Ron Dermer, who will take over from Michael Oren this fall, has extensive political contacts in U.S. conservative circles that he will have to downplay quickly, but that doubtless inform the counsel he has given Netanyahu in his recent capacity as a senior adviser to the Prime Minister.
The Tea Party is generally pro-military, pro-Israel, and supportive of the War on Terror (as it was once called). Yet it is also focused on federal spending and deficits, and some of the Tea Party’s most visible leaders, including Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY), have called for reducing foreign aid. Paul and fellow libertarians are also skeptical of military spending and anti-terror surveillance, which also affect Israel’s own security.
Netanyahu realizes that Israel may no longer be able to count on the support of a flailing national security establishment–not after Obama’s defense cuts (before sequestration) and withdrawal from Iraq and Afghanistan; not after voices hostile to Israel have become dominant in the Democratic Party; and not after the Republican base has shown increasing outrage at the string of National Security Agency scandals.
So he is reaching out beyond the Washington, D.C. gatekeepers and aiming his message at the American people beyond, recognizing budgetary concerns that Obama and the bipartisan establishment have tried to shunt aside. It is also a form of payback for Obama’s attempt to circumvent the Israeli government on his visit in March, declining the chance to address the Knesset and giving a speech to Israeli students instead.
Yet while Obama was exhorting Israelis to pursue a peace agenda that has failed, and which is not shared widely beyond that country’s elite, Netanyahu is touching on the popular sentiments of many Americans. In doing so, he is affirming the Tea Party’s ascent–and cultivating the seeds of future support: when budgets tighten further, Israel can say it has shared in the sacrifice, and may thus protect itself from deeper cuts.
@ Laura:
Laura the major problem facing us is a real conservative has yet emerged to lead the nation.
HC wants the WH and Weiner wants NYC Hall. Good grief
@ Laura:
Well, what’s our options??
I don’t believe there is enough of the extreme libertarians to make the difference.
I am not a big supporter of Rand Paul, having said that he has some valid points, more so than the liberal left.
All I know is I want my country back, a smaller government, without the IRS and a few hundred agencies such as the EPA, Dept. of Education etc.
The federal government should be for the protection of its citizens and the infrastructure.
The states can govern themselves.
We need to continue to support our true friends and trusted allies and they know who they are and I mean support, not by telling them what they should do but rather how we can help.
@ rongrand:
Yes they lean right. But is it the extreme libertarian right which wants to do away with droning and spying, or the national security minded right?
@ Laura:
Laura besides, let’s face it we don’t have too many options.
The major liberal media giants are already campaigning for HC (wife of I didn’t inhale and I sure as hell didn’t have sex with that woman, ha ha, I won’t tell) you know the poster boy for the liberal democratic party. Their love was for power not for each other.
You can rest assure the movies will paint a glaring portrait of her, nothing about Monica or Benghazi.
@ Laura:
Laura, I am not quite sure you are correct on the Tea Party.
I believe the majority of those supporting the Tea Party are more conservative and lean to the right.
You have to remember the Tea Party is made of Americans who may be Republicans, Democrats & Independents who want a smaller government and want representation in Congress and less self-serving politicians.
You have to believe we all want our country back, the Nation God shed His grace on, the Nation founded on the Judeo-Christian principals (although my friend Yamit will say there is no such thing, except I believe since Jews & Christians are guided by the Torah & Ten Commandments, we respect one another and we are better Americans for it).
No organization is perfect.
Hell, now we are faced with a bunch of phony scandals (duh)
@Laura “This is not only worrisome for Israel, but for American national security as well.”
I see the GOP going in 2 directions:
1- Libertarian wing, which will also attract the Xtian identity types to some extent.
2- RINO land: Christie et al. These guys are almost as bad as Obama, as they will be in bed with Islamists (CrispyKreme is already).
Neither is good for US Jews, although the libertarians will look kindly on US Jews leaving for Israel. Woe unto the JINOs left behind.
The Lindsay Grahams, Rubios etc will need to pick a side.
My hope is for the guys like like Louis Gohmert and Ted Cruz to roar up the middle and attract lots of $ and a media strategy with that works, but my hope is dim.
Initially I was enthusiastic about the tea party, but I have since soured on them because of their position on drone strikes and the NSA. I warned a couple of months ago about the danger of the rise of the Rand Paul, libertarian, black helicopter crowd in the tea party movement. I can anticipate waning support for Israel on the right if this trend continues. I hope that the old national security wing of the GOP reemerges. I read that Peter King might run, I hope so. I think he is very concerned about the current trajectory of the conservative movement. This is not only worrisome for Israel, but for American national security as well.
Does Israel Benefit from US Foreign Aid?
from Free Zion
SEE Video Clip
‘As the national liberation movement of the Jewish people, Zionism has historically held as its basic aspiration the achievement of political independence for the Jewish people in the Jewish homeland.
Because a nation cannot be both dependent and independent at the same time, accepting money from the United States has essentially placed Israel in a situation of dependency that has critically eroded the Jewish state’s sovereignty.
As advocates of organic democracy and the notion that a government’s policies should reflect the will of the people it serves, the Free Zion movement works to achieve an Israeli leadership that behaves according to the national interest of the Jewish people and not according to the regional agendas of foreign actors.”
READ!!!!! Economic and Strategic Ramifications of American Assistance to Israel
Economic and Strategic Ramifications of American Assistance to Israel
Yarden Gazit
Israel would be much better off without any foreign add, if such add was also cut off from “Palestinians”, Egypt, Jordan, additionally from Turkey, Pakistan and other musloids.