Judaism is older than The Bible. The Patriarchs, Abraham, his son Isaac and grandson Jacob, settled in the Land of Canaan (present day Israel) around 1800 BC, but famine, say some historians, forced the Israelites to migrate to Egypt. The First Exodus, led by Moses out of Egypt, say essentially these same historians, occurred in the 13th century BC, and around 1020 BC, King David made Jerusalem the national and spiritual center. In 586, most Jews were exiled to Babylonia (Iraq), but they returned a half century later. They were then ruled by the Greeks, Romans, Byzantines, Arabs and, finally, Ottomans, for 400 years, until 1917, when the British pledged support for establishment of a Jewish national home in Jerusalem. The League of Nations granted Britain the Mandate for Palestine. In 1947, the United Nations proposed the establishment of Arab and Jewish States, leading to proclamation of the State of Israel in 1948 after the War of Independence. Israel joined the UN in 1949, prevailing in the 1967 6-day war against Egypt and neutralizing aggressors Syria and Egypt in the Yom Kippur War of 1973.
Israel became an associate member of the European Common Market in 1975. Since then, with sporadic peace periods, Israel has been besieged by its neighbors. Israel has subsequently depended mostly on the U.S. for security and diplomatic support. The October 1973 war saw massive American airlifts of military equipment and from 1948 to 1985 the U.S. provided $31 billion, mostly grants. There have been innumerable agreements, accords and attempts at peace, including a latest last gasp attempt in 2008 by President George W. Bush. President Obama will have yet another challenge to meet.
A comparative look at the primary Middle East challengers would be useful:
Israel became an associate member of the European Common Market in 1975. Since then, with sporadic peace periods, Israel has been besieged by its neighbors. Israel has subsequently depended mostly on the U.S. for security and diplomatic support. The October 1973 war saw massive American airlifts of military equipment and from 1948 to 1985 the U.S. provided $31 billion, mostly grants. There have been innumerable agreements, accords and attempts at peace, including a latest last gasp attempt in 2008 by President George W. Bush. President Obama will have yet another challenge to meet.
A comparative look at the primary Middle East challengers would be useful:
.............................Israel ...........................Iraq ........................Iran
Age ....................9,000 years ................7000 years .............9000 years
Current Gov.............61 years ................just forming ................30 years
Size ...................20,770 km2 ...............437,000 km2 .......1,648,000 km2
Population ..........6.4 million ..................27.5 million .............69 million
GDP ..................$170 billion .................$88 billion .............$562 billion
GDP/Capita ........$26,800 .......................$2,900 .................$8,300
Military
Exp. ................. $12 billion ....................$7.6 billion ............$4.3 billion
Mil. Exp.
Mil. Exp.
%GDP ................7.3% ............................8.6% ....................3.3%
Israel, about the size of New Jersey, is much smaller in population and territory than Iraq and Iran. But Egypt has twelve times more people and lands nearly 50 times larger, but got embarrassed in the 6-day War.
The countries of the Middle East believe that Israel is for all intents and purposes a puppet of the United States, and history has shown this to be largely correct. For example, Israel served as the secret channel for the U.S. to provide arms to Iran in the middle ‘80’s. Now, Israel is strategically positioned to take out possible nuclear facilities in Iran, if they ever came to be, something the U.S. would have difficulty perpetrating in view of our Middle East quagmire and need to shore up international respect. That Israeli air strike in October of 2007 on a suspected North Korea nuclear site in Syria could well just have been an appetizer. Thus, Israel will continue to serve as the catalyst for future conflicts for a long time to come, as today, that has become a necessary problem. The obvious danger is that an Israeli strike on Iran would close the Strait of Hormuz, where 40% of shipborne oil must pass, and oil prices beyond $100/barrel will result. This could happen very soon...or not at all.
Israel, about the size of New Jersey, is much smaller in population and territory than Iraq and Iran. But Egypt has twelve times more people and lands nearly 50 times larger, but got embarrassed in the 6-day War.
The countries of the Middle East believe that Israel is for all intents and purposes a puppet of the United States, and history has shown this to be largely correct. For example, Israel served as the secret channel for the U.S. to provide arms to Iran in the middle ‘80’s. Now, Israel is strategically positioned to take out possible nuclear facilities in Iran, if they ever came to be, something the U.S. would have difficulty perpetrating in view of our Middle East quagmire and need to shore up international respect. That Israeli air strike in October of 2007 on a suspected North Korea nuclear site in Syria could well just have been an appetizer. Thus, Israel will continue to serve as the catalyst for future conflicts for a long time to come, as today, that has become a necessary problem. The obvious danger is that an Israeli strike on Iran would close the Strait of Hormuz, where 40% of shipborne oil must pass, and oil prices beyond $100/barrel will result. This could happen very soon...or not at all.
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