Tough words from Israel’s Defence Minister on the weakness of America, and he’s right:
DAILY MAIL – Israel has accused the United States of projecting weakness internationally and said it could not rely on its main ally to take the lead in confronting Iran over its nuclear programme.
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His latest comments, confirmed by an Israeli official who was present at a lecture Mr Yaalon delivered at Tel Aviv University yesterday, displayed deep disappointment with U.S. President Barack Obama’s handling of burning world issues.
‘We had thought it would be the United States that would lead the campaign against Iran,’ said Yaalon, who pointed to the Ukraine crisis as an example of Washington ‘showing weakness’. He added: ‘If your image is feebleness, it doesn’t pay in the world. Nobody will replace the United States as global policeman.
‘I hope the United States comes to its senses. If it doesn’t, it will challenge the world order, and the United States is the one that will suffer.’
Mr Yaalon said that although ‘people know Iran cheats’, the United States and other nations chose to negotiate with Tehran on restricting activities they fear are aimed at developing atomic arms.
‘Therefore, on this matter, we have to behave as though we have nobody to look out for us but ourselves,’ Yaalon said, echoing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s veiled threats of unilateral military action against Iran if diplomacy fails.
‘Unfortunately, when it comes to negotiating at a Persian bazaar, the Iranians are better,’ said Yaalon, a former armed forces chief and a hawkish member of Netanyahu’s right-wing Likud party.
In the Middle East, Yaalon said, he had heard ‘voices of disappointment’ over a lack of U.S. support for Sunni Muslim rebels in the three-year-old conflict in Syria.
And on a recent visit in Asia, he added, he found ‘disappointment about China getting stronger and the U.S. getting weaker’.