U. S. Credibility Tanked

Caroline Glick takes a look at the shifting alliances in the Middle East from an Israeli perspective, particularly in light of Barack Obama's foreign policy:

... Obama's pro-Hamas-, pro-Iran- and pro-Muslim Brotherhood-axis policies, along with his refusal to date to take effective action in Iraq and Syria to obliterate Islamic State, have convinced the US's traditional allies that for the next two-and-a-half years, not only can they not rely on the US, they cannot discount the possibility of the US taking actions that harm them.

These traditional allies are Israel, Egypt, and Saudi Arabia. Glick argues that they are cooperating behind the scenes against the Islamic State and Hamas, and to thwart Iran's nuclear ambitions. Glick sees this cooperation lasting until the end of Obama's term -- unless it is rendered impossible by Israel's own left:

The Israeli Left sees this new partnership. But it fails to understand its basis or significance. For the Left, all developments lead to the same conclusion: Whatever happens, Israel must strengthen the PLO by strengthening Palestinian Authority Chairman and PLO chief Mahmoud Abbas.

Failing to recognize the basis for Israel's emerging strategic partnership, led by Finance Minister Yair Lapid and Justice Minister Tzipi Livni, the Left is advocating using our new ties with Saudi Arabia and Egypt as a means of strengthening Abbas by organizing a regional peace conference.

What they fail to understand is that such a move would destroy the partnership.

Israel's strategic cooperation with Egypt and Saudi Arabia owes to their shared interests. It cannot extend beyond them. And they have no shared interests in regard to the PLO.

Threatened by the axis of jihad, no Muslim government can be seen publicly with Israelis...

Glick speaks with uncertainty about the next administration seeking to "rebuild the US alliance structure in the Middle East". Even if it does, the damage caused by Obama's non-self-interested foreign policy will be hard to repair, for he has made it apparent to the world that we are unreliable at best.

-- CAV