By Lloyd Levy
LONDON–The foreign policy of the Obama Administration must surely be the most disreputable since the alliance of Stalin and Hitler. Never before can a world power have alienated so many friends around the world, so quickly, and so deliberately.
Hosni Mubarak, the ex-President of Egypt, a man who was a loyal ally of USA, was forced out of office under pressure from U.S. President Barack Obama. Matters were made even worse, by USA then allying itself with the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt and elsewhere, an organization established with the very purpose of ridding the Muslim world of American and Western influence. It is completely beyond comprehension.
The USA has now turned its back on its remaining allies in the area, namely Saudi Arabia, the Gulf States, and Israel,. The Administration’s back down from targeting Syria, was an astonishing last minute act of “chicken”, which apparently left Israeli, British, French, and goodness who else‘s forces, literally and metaphorically having to apply the brakes rapidly on their part in whatever operation was being planned.
Now, the indecent haste of the American Administration to come to a deal, any deal apparently, with Iran, has created the most appalling lack of faith and mistrust in America.
Israel will rapidly need to find some way to pull away from total reliance on America. My own opinion is that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will try to forge closer military ties with France and Russia., and behind the scenes with the Saudis.
Importantly, it means the death knell of the supposed negotiations being brokered between Israel and the Palestinians, by U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry. Any agreement would need to rely on American promises of security guarantees to Israel, and there is simply no way the Israelis are now going to take any such guarantees seriously.
Even assuming American policy is to deliberately rid itself of any involvement in the Middle East, to concentrate on the Far East, states in that area will note the lack of support the Administration gives to long standing allies. The effect on American influence around the world will be absolutely devastating.
The reshuffling and rebalancing of alliances that are taking place in the Middle East, are rapid and unpredictable. The Year 2014 sees the 100th Anniversary of the First World War, and there is something unsettling and reminiscent of that time, in the unpredictability of world events nowadays. There are events that are beyond the ability of the public to comprehend, and which consequences will only become evident in the fullness of time.
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Levy is a businessman who divides his time between London, England, and Eilat, Israel. He may be contacted at lloyd.levy@sdjewishworld.com