If newspaper reports are to be believed, the United States and Israel are on a diplomatic collision course. The Obama administration has decided that “smart diplomacy” means mollifying enemies and pressuring an ally. If this is what’s happening, then it would appear that Israeli public opinion is turning suspicious of American intent.
But has the smart diplomacy backfired?
Washington’s efforts to start a dialogue with Iran have sent ripples of alarm through the capitals of America’s closest Arab allies, who accuse Tehran of playing a destabilizing role in the Middle East. The concerns being raised by Arab leaders sound strikingly like those coming from the mouths of Israeli officials. “We hope that any dialogue between countries will not come at our expense,†said a statement Tuesday by the six oil-rich nations of the Gulf Cooperation Council, who have long relied on US protection in the region.
(h/t Jennifer Rubin)
There’s good reason for the Arab world (and the rest of the world) to be worried about Iran’s strategic posturing and expansionist aims. But does the administration get it?
Has smart diplomacy outsmarted itself?
Crossposted on Soccer Dad.
