Former IDF Chief of Staff, General Dan Haloutz (res.), Lectures at U.S. Military Academies
General Dan Haloutz, former Chief of Staff of the Israel Defense Forces, recently completed a series of lectures to cadets and midshipmen at three of America’s military academies. The lectures are a component of JINSA’s U.S. Military Academies Program which also includes a three-week Study Trip to Israel.
General Dan Haloutz, former Chief of Staff of the Israel Defense Forces, recently completed a series of lectures to cadets and midshipmen at three of America’s military academies. The lectures are a component of JINSA’s U.S. Military Academies Program which also includes a three-week Study Trip to Israel.
The lectures kicked off Wednesday, April 11th, at the U.S. Air Force Academy. Gen. Haloutz then traveled to the U.S. Military Academy at West Point for a program on the 13th, and wrapped up at the U.S. Naval Academy, Annapolis on the 16th.
Gen. Haloutz discussed a wide range of topics, including the Arab Spring (or the Arab Earthquake as he called it), the Iranian nuclear program, and the regional balance of power. He reminded the cadets and midshipmen that democracy is not born overnight and emphasized a pragmatic focus on stability and security. Regarding Iran’s nuclear program, Gen. Haloutz stressed that there should be a viable military option while also emphasizing that it must only be used as an absolute last resort after all other options have been exhausted.
Gen. Haloutz also noted that a nuclear Iran is not just a problem for Israel, it is a global problem. If Iran develops a nuclear weapon, it will fundamentally alter the balance of power in the Middle East with the likely result being greater instability. He pointed out that China’s desire for cheap energy and Russia’s determination to reassert its Cold War hegemony in the Middle East further complicate the issue.
Plans for the academy lectures included private meetings between the Gen. Haloutz and the participants in the upcoming summer program in Israel. Many of the students who participated in the 2011 program attended these meetings as well.
For the summer of 2012 JINSA was able to double the number of participants traveling to Israel, to bring the total to 60 cadets and midshipmen. For more information on this program, click here to read the 2011 Cadets/Midshipmen Report Excerpts
JINSA’s Military Academies Program in Israel is designed to bring these future leaders of our American military to Israel for three weeks. In addition to touring the country, their itinerary incorporates highest level briefers and sessions on the Middle East, the U.S.-Israel security partnership, and the geopolitical realities and challenges the students will be confronting in their careers as military officers. Key to the program is the interaction between the American cadets and midshipmen and their Israeli counterparts. This program encourages the establishment of life long friendships and continuing interaction between these young officers of both countries.
