My Reasons for Recommending a Defense Treaty between the U.S. and Israel

Let me begin by warmly thanking Eran Lerman, Elliott Abrams, and Martin Kramer—three highly esteemed colleagues—for their thoughtful responses to my essay, “Has Israel Grown too Dependent on the United States?,” and the editors of Mosaic for publishing the essay and for arranging this colloquy.

For me, what stands out from all three responses is the degree to which each of the authors, in his own way, broadly agrees with my analysis and, with one important exception, with the recommendations I make on its basis. Of course, there are nuances and differences concerning some specific issues, a couple of which I treat below, but the overall picture is one of considerable consensus.

To start, none of the three respondents disputes my assertion not only that Israel has indeed become critically dependent on the United States but that the price of this extraordinary relationship has been a significant loss in Israel’s independence. Nor does any of them significantly question my assertion that, so great has Israel’s dependence on the U.S. become, its very ability to survive without the U.S. may be in doubt.