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:

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.