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Foreign Policy Articles Why Israel Must Participate in Anti-terror Coalition
Rand Fishbein Excluding Israel from the U.S.-led coalition against terrorism is bad strategy, bad policy and bad symbolism. It telegraphs a message to the world that terrorism pays. With one lightning strike, the enemies of the West can now claim to have driven a wedge between Washington and its closest Middle Eastern ally, weakening the military response of the coalition and turning one of the principal victims of terrorism into an international pariah. This is no way to win a war. It is not what the American people expect from their government. By all accounts, Secretary of State Colin Powell is the principal advocate of this approach. He has counseled President Bush to distance himself from Israel in the hope of rallying support from a host of Arab, Islamic and non-aligned states whose politics and policies often are diametrically opposed to those of the United States. This is a tall order and one fraught with a host of dangers, not the least of which is that by joining with terrorists in the fight against terrorism, America risks losing the moral high ground upon which its case for war is based. Like the fabled grasshopper, the U.S. cannot hitch a ride on the back of the scorpion and expect not to get stung. Even Washington is subject to the laws of nature. Yet Powell argues that without the backing of these traditional U.S. adversaries, the coalition will founder and the U.S. will lack the military and political support it needs to carry out sustained operations against the enemy. That is nonsense. Many of the countries now being actively courted by the United States are terrorist sponsors themselves. States like Syria, Lebanon and Iran have no business being aligned with the U.S. when for decades they have been directly or indirectly responsible for a rash of bomb and kidnapping attacks upon Americans. In the weeks ahead, investigators are likely to find links between these countries and the terrorist strikes in New York and Washington. For now, it is bad enough that Washington has had to beg its Arab allies to support its military campaign. Egypt and Saudi Arabia remain opposed to extended air operations against the Taliban and unwilling to cooperate fully in the investigation of its nationals in the Sept. 11 attacks. Riyadh, for one, has refused to join the other 144 countries that have agreed to block assets belonging to terrorist groups. It's a decision that stems from the embarrassing revelation that a number of Saudi officials and Saudi-backed charities have been paying protection money to Al-Qaeda for years. Even as the U.S. seeks their support in ending terrorism, Iran and Syria continue to funnel weapons and money to Hezbollah in Lebanon. China continues to supply Iran with ballistic missile technology. And nearly every Arab state is an active supporter of the PLO. At the end of September, the Syrian government hosted a conclave of Palestinian terrorist organizations that ended with a commitment to redouble their guerrilla attacks against Israeli targets, including civilians. These countries do not share America's goals in the present crisis. They are the bullies on the block we are sworn to resist. For its part, Iran already has indicated it will strike at any U.S. aircraft that attempts to use its airspace to attack Afghanistan. We Must Not Forsake Our Friends Leadership at times of crisis demands courage and resoluteness, not capitulation to the enemy. This was the example set by Franklin Roosevelt in 1940 when he committed America to vigorously supporting Great Britain. Then, the U.S. was mired in an isolationist foreign policy. Pearl Harbor and America's entry into World War II was still 18 months away. Now is the time for President Bush to show similar resolve. Those countries that would shun America because of Israel's participation in the coalition should be put on notice: You either stand with us or against us. We will not forsake our friends. History will judge Mr. Bush not only by the outcome of the present crisis but also by whether he holds fast to basic principles; standing shoulder to shoulder with other victims of aggression should be one value that remains incorruptible. The abandonment of allies is not an option for a great power if it wishes to remain great. Understandably, Washington is wary of standing alone in this fight, believing that by enlisting the assistance of Arab and Islamic states it can give greater legitimacy to its cause. With thousands of Americans dead in the recent wave of attacks, this is hardly necessary. Some officials even insist that a broad alliance could open up new avenues of dialogue, eventually helping to moderate the radical, anti-Western orientation of some of the world's less savory regimes. This may be a worthy goal, but it is surely an unlikely result. It is also naïve. Countries like Syria, Iran, China and Sudan have nothing but contempt for the United States and its policies. For much of the last quarter century, they have been the main protagonists in an undeclared war against American interests around the world. This is not about to change. To countries used to sacrificing tens of thousands of their citizens in state-sponsored purges and wars of aggression, the loss of nearly 6,000 Americans in New York and Washington hardly registers as a concern. Many of the countries now being courted by the Bush administration are among terrorism's chief benefactors, giving not only political support but also training, sustenance and sanctuary to those who would oppose Western interests around the world. These are not governments that share Washington's commitment to freedom and democracy. They are autocratic, repressive regimes that use terror to control their own citizens and find political advantage in the humiliation of the United States. They seek nothing less than the eradication of American influence around the globe, and they say so publicly. The last thing Syria, Iran and China want is for the U.S. to emerge from the present crisis stronger and more resolute in its desire to project American power and ideals across Asia. Israel True Friend of U.S.
While Palestinians, Syrians and Iranians danced triumphantly in the streets, Israelis offered up their condolences and turned out in droves to donate blood. Though Israel may not be accepted by the U.S. into any formal coalition, Prime Minister Sharon has made it clear that the country will not sit idly by as it did during the Gulf War and watch as scud missiles rain down on its cities. Nor will Israel be deterred from responding to terrorist attacks. Within days of the U.S. attacks, Israel apprehended terrorists on their way to blow up the country's largest building. Neither the U.S. nor Israel would be well served if, for reasons of its own national security, Israel were compelled to go it alone. The U.S.-Israel relationship goes far beyond military or economic ties. It touches upon the core values which animate and sustain both peoples and have given life to vibrant, creative democracies. For both countries a fundamental commitment to personal freedom, the rule of law, full voting rights, an independent judiciary, freedom of speech and travel, and a respect for women and minorities is not simply a face shown to the world, but rights and beliefs vigorously defended. It is the essence of the Judeo-Christian tradition that inseparably links the destinies of the U.S. and Israel. Accepting Israel publicly and actively into the coalition against terrorism is the surest way to divine the true intentions of the Arab-Islamic world. As with Greece and Turkey, both mortal enemies working together within NATO, the U.S. should make it clear that Israel's participation in the coalition is non-negotiable. To do otherwise is shameful. President Bush, Jerusalem is ready to receive your call.
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