UK support for Israel makes no strategic (or moral) sense
Why is Israel considered to be an ally of the failing UK? Does it represent any strategic value or further UK interests?
Let’s be clear. The latest Middle East crisis was provoked by Israel’s illegal attack on the Iranian embassy in Damascus earlier this month that killed two Iranian generals and 5 other officers. The US contends Israel acted alone. However, the Wall Street Journal reported in 2022 that “many of Israel’s missions for several years have been reviewed in advance for approval by senior officials at US Central Command and at the Pentagon.” And don’t forget that the US-supplied Israeli missiles that destroyed the embassy were launched from US-supplied F-35 fighter jets.
The US has refused to condemn Israel for its attack and prevented, along with the UK and France, a Security Council statement criticising the attack. Had such a statement been issued, Iran might not have retaliated in the way that it did.
An interesting analysis on why Israel attacked Iran appeared in the April 11th edition of Haaretz, a leading Israeli paper. The headline reads, “Saying what can’t be said: Israel has been defeated - a total defeat.”
It argues that Netanyahu attacked the Iranian embassy to deflect attention from the Gaza disaster. Israel hasn’t defeated Hamas but has murdered tens of thousands of unarmed civilians and is in the process of starving over 2 million. It has been condemned by the world’s highest court and is a now pariah state in the eyes of the global majority. Netanyahu knows if he admits defeat, his political career is toast and he’ll end up in jail. So he’s trying to embroil the US in a wider regional conflict with the potential to trigger a global war.
And the feckless US, led by one of the most incompetent administrations in history, has backed every single one of Israel’s fatal missteps, accelerating its own precipitous global decline. It remains to be seen whether the US will allow itself to be led by its ‘ally’ Israel into an even deeper hole. And if it does, I’m betting its loyal UK lapdog will be following right behind.
Iran’s retaliation, before which it gave Israel and the US ample warning, hit military, not civilian, targets - the Israeli Air Force intelligence HQ in Tel Aviv where the Damascus embassy attack was planned, and the Ramon and Nevatim airbases from which the Israeli F-35s took off on their bombing raid. It also degraded Israeli air defences. Although the drones and cruise missiles were intercepted, the ballistic missiles penetrated the world’s strongest air defence system, damaging the Israeli Air Force HQ and both airbases. (BTW, Israel’s defense against the Iranian attack cost $1.35 billion in jet fuel, surface-to-air missile interceptors, air-to-air missiles and other military equipment, paid for by the US.)
Contrast Iran’s response with Israel’s 6-month long savage assault on and genocide against Gazan civilians. In response, the UK continues to export arms to Israel and the US keeps sending 2k pound bombs to its ‘ally’.
The Haaretz journalist understands the deep hole Israel has dug for itself: “Our international standing was dealt a beating. Our leadership's weakness was revealed to the outside. For years we managed to fool them into thinking we were a strong country, a wise people and a powerful army. In truth, we're a shtetl with an air force…The reality is that the war's aims will not be achieved. Hamas will not be eradicated. The hostages will not be returned through military pressure. Security will not be re-established.”
If the UK were not led by such moral and intellectual pygmies, it might comprehend the same and stop digging its own hole.
Excellent truthful analysis
Many people have ideas, theories why many of the western powers are backing Israel, I don't. I have theories, but certainly none I can say with any conviction or with any logical follow through.
Any moral standing the Israeli backers had has been obliterated. The democratic ideal that they "hold so dear" I would say has gone, their public do not support them. International rule of law was always shaky after Iraq, the shoogly peg is now lying on the floor.
Theories;
The oil and gas theory, for me, doesn't add up. We should/are moving away from fossil fuels and to be reliant on your power from an area where you have collectively kicked over the wasp's byke would be insane. There is money to be had from oil and gas, see Eneos, £107m last year, multi million £ enticement to relocate. But this is small beer costs compared to the multi billions that this escapade is costing. Then there is the follow up security costs, due to the rocket and gun diplomacy.
The canal theory, again, this for me, carries much the same disadvantages as above. Indeed both theories could have been achieved far cheaper and with far less loss of life if a proper settlement had been reached with the Palestinians, years ago.
What's left? For me it is mere exploratory thoughts, three to be precise.
I'd be looking at debt share and returns on venture capital, a case of where's the money/promissory note coming from. For heft I'm coupling this up to western age demographics and the need to maintain pension investments and, of course, pure greed. Just how powerful the Jewish banking sector is I don't know, but I did wonder if Rothschilds in Germany is as strong as it was earlier. It could explain Germany's ambition to make an eejit of it's self post 7th Oct.
Fanciful, but does Mossad have the dirt on western governments?
The third, also fanciful, but worth some consideration. I usually look for at least two reasons for any action and I see two with the backing of Israel.
The threat, I would say reality, of the West loosing hegemony, for the mantle to be taken up by China and India. Both countries have a need to import fuel. A follow on from the middle East conflict is a considerable rise in oil price. The US is almost self sufficient in fuel, Europe is getting there. Hegemony mantle swop at least delayed?
I could go on, when you are in the dark, it feels a bit like winnowing grain the old fashioned way. You beat some ideas about throw them up, to let the wind catch them, the lightweights drift off.