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A potential nuclear-armed Iran. Waves of Hamas rocket attacks from Gaza against Israeli civilians. A resurgent Hizballah armed with 40,000 rockets aimed at Israel.
These are just some of the unprecedented threats that Israel, along with its ally the United States, is facing. To help confront these threats, the United States and Israel last August signed a new 10-year security agreement that aims to provide the Jewish state with $30 billion in security assistance over the next decade.
Iran Remains the Key Threat
One of the key challenges that the United States and Israel face is an increasingly aggressive and belligerent Iran.
Tehran—whose leadership calls for Israel’s destruction and for a world without the United States—continues to advance its uranium enrichment efforts and could have a nuclear weapons capability within two years. The regime also can deploy a sizable force of sophisticated Shihab missiles that can hit Israel, U.S. forces in the region and America’s regional allies. And during the next decade, Iran also may acquire intercontinental ballistic missiles capable of striking the United States.
Iran also continues to serve as the major destabilizing force in the region through its continued support of terrorist groups that are threatening Israel and working to undermine U.S. efforts in the region, from Israeli-Palestinian talks to Lebanon to Iraq.
Hamas and Hizballah Continue to Foment Violence
With the help of Iran, Hamas—which violently took control of Gaza a year ago—is transforming itself into a terrorist army, carrying out daily attacks on Israel and undermining U.S.-backed Israeli-Palestinian talks.
Since Israel fully withdrew from Gaza in 2005, Hamas and other groups have terrorized Israeli civilians by firing more than 4,000 rockets and mortars into Israel. Hamas also continues to smuggle into Gaza more advanced weaponry and has established a force of more than 20,000 armed fighters, many of whom have been trained in Iran or Syria.
In the north—Hizballah—with the help of Iran and Syria, has restored and enhanced its arsenal, amassing 40,000 rockets and missiles, or nearly three times the amount it had before the war with Israel in 2006. Meanwhile, the Syrian military has embarked on a modernization effort and arms-buying spree not seen since the 1980s, purchasing more sophisticated anti-tank and anti-aircraft missiles from Russia and amassing an alarming arsenal of long-range missiles and short-range rockets.
Israel Faces Greater Costs to Combat New Threats
In addition to the increased threats, spiraling defense costs are forcing Israel to spend more on defense as a percentage of gross domestic product than any other nation in the industrialized world. Israel is spending eight percent of its GDP on defense, or nearly double the percentage the United States spends.
Israel has committed to a 10-year plan of sustained increases in its own defense spending to accompany the expected growth in U.S. security assistance. Israel is slated to spend $150 billion on defense during the next decade, a 50 percent increase over the previous 10-year period.
This increased spending comes as overall regional military spending has accelerated throughout the Middle East, fueled by windfall oil profits. From 2002 to 2006, the growth rate of Saudi Arabia’s military budget was almost six times that of Israel’s, while Iran’s rate of military spending grew 16 times more than the Jewish state’s.
The military hardware—including American-built advanced fighter aircraft and naval vessels—that the IDF must acquire over the next decade to maintain its qualitative military edge is more complex, diverse and expensive than previous systems.
The most recent U.S.-produced front-line fighter aircraft deployed by Israel—the F-16I—cost $45 million. By comparison the U.S. F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, which Israel is seeking to purchase in the next decade, may cost up to $100 million each.
U.S.-Israel Security Deal Aims to Boost Aid
In an effort to ensure that Israel maintains its qualitative military edge over those adversaries that threaten the Jewish state and actively work to undermine U.S. interests in the region, the administration has requested $2.55 billion in military assistance for fiscal year 2009. The request represents the first year of the new 10-year agreement and is subject to congressional approval. Under the agreement, Israel is slated to receive gradual increases in aid over the next four years—before leveling off at $3.1 billion for the remaining six years.
The House in May approved a bill that authorizes the administration’s request for fiscal year 2009 and endorses the full 10-year agreement. Congressional appropriators still need to fund the yearly requests for military assistance for Israel through the annual foreign aid bill.
Amid the increased threats and rising defense costs, such a boost in U.S. assistance to Israel during the next decade will be vital as the two allies work together to seek peace and defeat the forces of extremism. •NER•
