A Game Of Defense? – OpEd
The United States said it is sending about 100 troops, coupled with an advanced shield against missiles into the Israel region given the heightened tensions in the region. The THAAD system which has been recently deployed here is a direct result of Iranian attacks on Israel through their missiles to ensure that America stands firm in assisting this Middle Eastern country. When we analysis this strategic move, we find that this decision cannot be considered a tactical one, rather this move could be a watershed moment in the USA-Israel relation and potentially destabilize the entire Middle East.
This news is indicative of a significant point within the Israeli-Iranian conflict. The THAAD system to be produced for the security of Israel will enable the country to counter Iran’s ballistic menace by mean of defense bullets and to strengthen the air defense system of the state. The fact that such a deployment takes place after Iran has launched unprecedented missile attacks on Israel heightens concern. The U.S. is not only responding to immediate threats, but is also sending a clear message: It supports its friend when the other side continues pushing the aggression forward.
For a long time, the United States has supported Israel militarily in the Middle East is considered to be a strategic ally. It has included scholarships and grants, provision of vehicles and aircraft, weapons and ammunition, as wells as training. But with the current deployment of troops, together with the missile defense systems it denotes a higher level of participation in the Israeli operations. This is so since shift to a new dynamic security environment that might not respond to classical deterrent threats. While threats come from state and non-state actors that evolve in complexity, so must the action plans of the like of the United States.
What makes this situation particularly complicated is the fact that this is happening in a global environment. The bilateral relationship has been defined as an enemy relationship between Israel and Iran for many years. These tensions have been compounded further by Iran’s support of militant organizations such as Hezbollah and Hamas meaning that currently the violence cycle looks hard to be outdone. In supporting Israel, the U.S. cannot afford to disregard the other regional players because Arab states have always had an historic animosity towards Iran.
The deployment of several THAAD systems within the territory of Israel by U.S. military raises questions about impact which such actions may have for Middle Eastern states stability. However, what I have seen some people opine that this deployment helps to prevent Iran from attacking anybody, there are those who believe that this deployment is likely contribute towards further escalation. Iran has already threatened to retaliate in case of any implication of its military by the United States of America. This creates a precarious balancing act for both the U.S. and Israel: how to protect one’s self or country without triggering an even greater conflict or war.
Further, this deployment occurs at a period when there is other conflict within the region due to factors such as conflict in Syria and Yemen, sectarian conflict within both Iraq and Lebanon among others. One has to understand that miscommunication is very likely and even minor events with one or more stakeholders can burgeon into larger scale conflicts. The problem with using frameworks is that there is always the danger that other, often undesirable results could also come about.
With the assumption that Israel might be planning to follow through on threats to take out Iran’s nuclear capabilities despite international condemnation, it’s high time to look at this aspect of the conflict. Will this military support from the U.S. help indeed to dissuade further Iranian aggression? Or will it rather intensify conflict? These are questions for realization that there are millions of people living in the region whose lives have already been filled with enough violence and instability.
In the last few months, the level of hostility between the two sides has raised especially after the incidence of I ran attacking Israel on April 13 and October 1 this year. U.S. officials under President Joe Biden have not embraced the idea of the Israeli air force bombing Iran’s nuclear facilities or its oil facilities warning that as a counter-measure it should be “symmetrical.” This position apparently stems from realizing that dealing with not only the US-Israel relationship but also with the region as a whole entails a certain finesse.
This nuanced approach also invites more questions as the United States looks to the future of its approach to the I.P. None of this will come as a shock to those familiar with U.S. I.P. policy, which has long embraced both aggressive and nuanced strategies concurrently. It begs the question: how can America to the best of its abilities protect its ally without encouraging further provocation at the same time? Are compromises possible in such circumstances as these military maneuvers assert? It is a truism that force of arms simply cannot deliver sustainable solutions to long-standing bitter and complex issues and this is why so often diplomacy as well as negotiations play crucial roles in most peace-making processes.
Moreover, the role of opinion poll is equally significant in the formulation of foreign policy. As in most other countries, there are different opinions in the USA and Israel regarding how the threats from Iran and other opponents should be countered. While some are pushing for strategy that will engage Iran in military power, others suggest that more diplomatic efforts should be made especially to engage the players in the region whom can play the role of brokers in case of negotiation.
When considering these questions it seems that the objects of THAAD and the U.S. troops are on much larger picture. Entangled Middle Eastern politics call for analysis of all strategies, military, diplomatic, and economic, in our pursuit for permanency and stability.
Therefore, as the region is placed in a delicate condition characterized by tensions between Israel and Iran, then one will have to ask, what this military deployment means? Are American forces and modern missile systems protecting the ally effectively? Or is it actually pre-staging the fueling of conflict? This people understand that as history has shown, every action has its reaction hence the need to do more than meet today’s security concerns but look at tomorrow and beyond in terms of the region’s stability and peace.
The stakes are high – for both the Israel and Iran as well as the world as a whole since regional instabilities may snowball to engulf the whole globe. What will one generation do today and what will the next generation perceive it to be? Will we be recognized as toilers for the peace that is coming or as disturbers of the present uneasy calm? These are questions that demand thoughtful reflection as we move forward into an uncertain future shaped by our choices today.
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