4 ms·

Alliances are about geopolitics as much as how much we like countries' behaviour. Israel is an invaluable intelligence partner in the War on Terror and a natur

Alliances are about geopolitics as much as how much we like countries' behaviour. Israel is an invaluable intelligence partner in the War on Terror and a natural ally against Iran. They're also the closest thing to a liberal democracy in the Middle East. As long as the US continues to gain more from its alliance with Israel than it loses, the alliance will endure. No matter how much individual leaders may loathe each other.

sydneysider 11y ago
'War on Terror' - I like how you have capitalised this, I hope you don't actually believe it though?
- redthrowaway 11y ago
  It's a proper noun.
- delecti 11y ago
  You would capitalize Apple to refer to the company, even though it has nothing to do with fruit. In the same way, the War on Terror isn't necessarily an actual war on terror/terrorism.
littletimmy 11y ago
Not sure how this is true. What do you mean by "ally against Iran"? The US is Israel's ally against Iran, but what has the US against Iran if not for Israel? The entire point of contention between Iran and the US in today's world is Israel. Israel just expects us to fight for it.
- throwaway27_35 11y ago
  Not even sure where to begin with this retarded comment > but what has the US against Iran if not for Israel? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iran_hostage_crisis https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iran_hostage_crisis https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1983_United_States_embassy_bombing https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1983_United_States_embassy_bom... https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1983_Beirut_barracks_bombing https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1983_Beirut_barracks_bombing https://www.rt.com/news/266812-iran-arms-taliban-isis/ https://www.rt.com/news/266812-iran-arms-taliban-isis/ https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/war-zones/weapons-prove-iranian-role-in-iraq-us-says/2011/07/05/gHQAUnkmzH_story.html https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/war-zones/weapons-prove... > Israel just expects us to fight for it. As opposed to our real allies in Europe, South Korea, and the persian gulf who do all of their fighting on their own and never expect us to do any fighting on their behalf??? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bosnian_War https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bosnian_War https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_United_States_Army_installations_in_South_Korea https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_United_States_Army_ins... https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gulf_war https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gulf_war >inb4 you claim the iraq war (which removed the biggest threat to Israel's arch-rival, Iran) was in Israel's interests
  - dang 11y ago
    > Not even sure where to begin with this retarded comment Creating a throwaway account so you can break HN's rules with impunity in a politically inflammatory thread is not ok. Please post civilly and substantively, or not at all, regardless of how strongly you feel about an issue.
    - redthrowaway 11y ago
      The comment is this close to being constructive, too. Drop a couple of the words that your keyboard makes loud noises when you type and it'd be fine.
- samstave 11y ago
  I may be misinformed, but I believe the seed of the US' anti-Iran stance comes from Iran attempting to not allow exploitation of Iran by the British empire, our ally and mother, and then after, only because the country of Israel was born and we know their history with each other... It's an empire-cock-blocking hate we have with Iran.
  - throwaway27_35 11y ago
    Israel was ruled by the British empire until 1948 but by 1956 (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suez_Crisis https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suez_Crisis) was friendly enough with Britain to side with them in a war. While I think your explanation is partially true, I think it is also an oversimplification. Why can some countries get over colonial interference, while others use it to justify everything they do? This also begs the question what is Iran's main problem with Israel then? Israel wasn't involved in operation Ajax. Why is it the little Satan to America's great Satan? Given their conduct in Syria, I find the "sympathy with the Palestinians" slightly hard to believe.

sydneysider 11y ago

'War on Terror' - I like how you have capitalised this, I hope you don't actually believe it though?

redthrowaway 11y ago
It's a proper noun.
delecti 11y ago
You would capitalize Apple to refer to the company, even though it has nothing to do with fruit. In the same way, the War on Terror isn't necessarily an actual war on terror/terrorism.

littletimmy 11y ago

Not sure how this is true. What do you mean by "ally against Iran"? The US is Israel's ally against Iran, but what has the US against Iran if not for Israel? The entire point of contention between Iran and the US in today's world is Israel. Israel just expects us to fight for it.

throwaway27_35 11y ago
Not even sure where to begin with this retarded comment > but what has the US against Iran if not for Israel? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iran_hostage_crisis https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iran_hostage_crisis https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1983_United_States_embassy_bombing https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1983_United_States_embassy_bom... https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1983_Beirut_barracks_bombing https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1983_Beirut_barracks_bombing https://www.rt.com/news/266812-iran-arms-taliban-isis/ https://www.rt.com/news/266812-iran-arms-taliban-isis/ https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/war-zones/weapons-prove-iranian-role-in-iraq-us-says/2011/07/05/gHQAUnkmzH_story.html https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/war-zones/weapons-prove... > Israel just expects us to fight for it. As opposed to our real allies in Europe, South Korea, and the persian gulf who do all of their fighting on their own and never expect us to do any fighting on their behalf??? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bosnian_War https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bosnian_War https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_United_States_Army_installations_in_South_Korea https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_United_States_Army_ins... https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gulf_war https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gulf_war >inb4 you claim the iraq war (which removed the biggest threat to Israel's arch-rival, Iran) was in Israel's interests
- dang 11y ago
  > Not even sure where to begin with this retarded comment Creating a throwaway account so you can break HN's rules with impunity in a politically inflammatory thread is not ok. Please post civilly and substantively, or not at all, regardless of how strongly you feel about an issue.
  - redthrowaway 11y ago
    The comment is this close to being constructive, too. Drop a couple of the words that your keyboard makes loud noises when you type and it'd be fine.
samstave 11y ago
I may be misinformed, but I believe the seed of the US' anti-Iran stance comes from Iran attempting to not allow exploitation of Iran by the British empire, our ally and mother, and then after, only because the country of Israel was born and we know their history with each other... It's an empire-cock-blocking hate we have with Iran.
- throwaway27_35 11y ago
  Israel was ruled by the British empire until 1948 but by 1956 (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suez_Crisis https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suez_Crisis) was friendly enough with Britain to side with them in a war. While I think your explanation is partially true, I think it is also an oversimplification. Why can some countries get over colonial interference, while others use it to justify everything they do? This also begs the question what is Iran's main problem with Israel then? Israel wasn't involved in operation Ajax. Why is it the little Satan to America's great Satan? Given their conduct in Syria, I find the "sympathy with the Palestinians" slightly hard to believe.