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Strategic Alliances for a Secure, Connected, and Prosperous Region
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Maintaining Israel

Maintaining Israel’s Qualitative Military Edge: Dilemmas for the Bush Administration

Maintaining Israel’s Qualitative Military Edge: Dilemmas for the Bush Administration

December 16, 2001
Three times in recent decades the United States has approached Arab countries to join broad coalitions in support of military objectives: ousting the Soviet Union from Afghanistan in the 1980s, ousting Iraq from Kuwait in 1991, and the current war on terrorism. In each case, efforts to garner Arab support created tensions with the U.S. commitment to maintain Israel's "qualitative military edge" against all potential adversaries. Proposed sales in 2001 of AGM-84 Harpoon "Block II" missiles and MLRS rocket systems to Egypt indicate that once again there is a danger that a fundamental strategic principle may be sacrificed for ephemeral diplomatic gains.