Israel closely tracking U.S. pullout from Iraq: Iran's 'enhanced' regional clout seen as threat
Friday, August 21, 2009 E-Mail this story Free Headline Alerts
WASHINGTON Ñ Israel has been nervously monitoring the U.S. military withdrawal from Iraq.
A report for the U.S. Defense Department said Israel has been concerned by the American withdrawal from Iraq. The report by the Rand Corp. said Israel was monitoring the pullout for repercussions on Iran's policy.
"Israel also has a strong interest in Iraq's future because of the effect the U.S. withdrawal could have on Iran's behavior and because Israel considers its security to be affected by the power and influence of the United States in the region," the report said.
The report said the U.S. withdrawal from Iraq threatens Israeli security. Rand cited Israeli concerns of growing Iranian influence in wake of a U.S. withdrawal from Iraq, including in such countries as Jordan and Saudi Arabia.
"Israelis are most worried about the prospect of an enhanced Iranian regional presence," the report, titled "Withdrawing from Iraq: Alternative Schedules, Associated Risks, and Mitigating Strategies," said.
"They are also concerned that U.S. withdrawal from Iraq could allow for the spread of terrorism that in turn could threaten the stability of Jordan, both because of the potential for jihadi violence there and because of the strain posed by Jordan's Iraqi refugee population, which numbers in the hundreds of thousands."
Israel has never expressed a position on a U.S. military withdrawal from Iraq. But some Israeli strategists said the withdrawal could result in a decline in U.S. influence throughout the Middle East.
Rand, in a report for the Pentagon leadership, said a U.S. withdrawal from Iraq could facilitate Iran's use of proxies to attack the Jewish state. The report said Iran could employ Hizbullah to conduct a nuclear attack without directly involving the Teheran regime.
"Israeli strategic analysts worry that if Iran were to acquire a nuclear weapon capability, such a capability could lead to even more dangerous behavior by Iranian proxy actors, such as Hizbullah, while constraining Israel's freedom of action to operate against such groups," the report said.
But other Israeli strategists have assessed that a U.S. military withdrawal from Iraq would grant Washington greater freedom of action toward Iran. The report said a U.S. withdrawal from a stable Iraq would enhance Washington's credibility in any negotiations with the Teheran regime.
"So, Israel has an important interest in the potential outcomes of U.S. withdrawal from Iraq, although it does not have much ability to directly affect developments in the country," the report said.