With news of Saddam Hussein’s capture, it remains unclear if the White House will continue to pressure Israel to jeopardize its security.
Until the arrest the argument was made that Israel had to sacrifice its own national security and interests in order to help bolster President Bush’s position.
Israel’s “contribution” to the “efforts” have included swallowing the Bush initiative and the Road Map – both programs aimed at ultimately leading to the creation of a sovereign independent Palestinian state, an entity that the Oslo experience demonstrates would ultimately be used as a deadly effective platform for the continuation of the Palestinian program for the destruction of Israel in stages.
Israel also has repeatedly “contributed” to Mr. Bush by reducing security measures to make it easier for Palestinian terrorists to complete their missions.
Put bluntly, since the time the idea of a campaign against Hussein first developed, literally hundreds of Israelis have “died to please Washington” in terrorist attacks that exploited reduced security measures.
With the capture of Hussein Mr. Bush no longer needs a Palestinian-Israeli photo op for his re-election campaign. The capture may also change America’s need to sacrifice Israel to Arab “allies”.
14 December 2003 marks a milestone in the liberation of Iraq. It remains to be seen if it will also may the end of the subordination of Israel’s security and future to Washington’s perceived temporary political and regional needs.