It’s Time for a “Common Market” in Defense Trade

A series of defense-trade treaties among the world’s leading democracies would help defend all of them, and us, against China.

I’m very gratified that my essay on the desirability of a Defense Trade Cooperation Treaty (DTCT) for promoting U.S.-Israel strategic cooperation in the context of Israel’s growing ties with China has prompted such thoughtful and far-reaching responses from such distinguished authors as Eran Lerman, Assaf Orion, John Hannah and Annie Fixler, and Vance Serchuk. Even Lerman, before voicing his criticisms of this essay as he did of my earlier one on the topic of Israel-China-U.S. relations, is able to stipulate that it is “a major contribution,” “sobering, thought-provoking, and profound.”

As for my other respondents, I find basic agreement between them and me on two key points.

The first is that where dealing with China is concerned, the U.S.-Israel relationship needs to be reoriented toward a new set of outcomes. Those outcomes must be ones that will not strain the U.S.-Israel strategic partnership either by Israel’s drawing too close to China or (just as importantly) by America’s being too insistent that Israel adopt a stance toward the PRC contrary to Israel’s own national interests—interests that include trade with the world’s second-largest economy (and possibly, by 2030, the world’s largest).