Should the U.S. Discourage Israel From Attacking Iran? >
U.S. and Israel Need to Agree on Strike Against Iran
Israel should not be threatening to impose its policy choices on its American ally
March 5, 2012
About James Dobbins:
James Dobbins, a former U.S. assistant secretary of State, is director of the International Security and Defense Policy Center at the RAND Corporation, a nonprofit institution that helps improve policy and decision-making through research and analysis.
Israel does not habitually forewarn its adversaries of impending attacks. Current Israeli threats to strike Iranian nuclear facilities are thus aimed not at Tehran, but at Washington and other international capitals that desperately do not want a new Middle East war. These threats have had no discernible impact on the Iranian government, except perhaps to accelerate its efforts to move key aspects of its nuclear program into hardened facilities. The threats have hit their intended target, however, leading to a dramatic strengthening of the international sanctions against Iran and a marked toughening of the Obama administration's own rhetoric. Indeed, based on President Obama's most recent statements, it would appear that the main issue separating the U.S. and Israeli leadership is not whether, but when, to attack Iran.
[See a collection of political cartoons on Iran.]
Both President George W. Bush and more recently President Obama have urged Israeli leaders not to attack Iran. Some in this country have argued that the American president should not be seeking to impose his judgments on our Israeli ally. This is as true as is the obverse—that Israel should not be threatening to impose its policy choices on its American ally.
The American people are in the main opposed to an unprovoked American military attack on Iran. Interestingly, a recent poll indicates that most Israelis also oppose an Israeli military attack on Iran unless that action is supported by the United States.
[See pictures of Iran participating in war games.]
Yet, essential to any Israeli government decision to bomb Iran is confidence that whatever advice Washington might provide before the attack, the U.S. administration will feel bound to help Israel cope with the consequences of its action. This is precisely the calculation that Obama must throw into question if he is to wage the campaign against the Iranian nuclear program on his timetable, rather than Prime Minister Netanyahu's.
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- Other Arguments
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#16432
No — Encouraging internal change in Iran is best option to thwart the production of a nuclear weapon
RAYMOND TANTER, Founder of the Iran Policy Committee
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#25338
No — Israel cannot avoid action against Iran indefinitely
ILAN BERMAN, Vice President of the American Foreign Policy Council
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#34135
No — Despite sanctions, Iran shows no signs of slowing its nuclear program
JAMIE M. FLY, Former Director for Counterproliferation Strategy at the National Security Council
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#45455
Yes — There is time for diplomacy and sanctions to work on Iran
BRIAN KATULIS, Senior Fellow at Center for American Progress
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#52531
No — Discouraging an Israeli strike on Iran undermines U.S. efforts
MICHAEL SINGH, Managing Director of The Washington Institute
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#72240
Yes — Let's hope Israel has the good sense to refrain from hitting Iran's nuclear program
DANIEL J. GALLINGTON, Senior Policy and Program Adviser at the George C. Marshall Institute
