U.S. and Israel to Counter Iranian Threat Together
From News From Jerusalem :
Israel and the United States this week reaffirmed their joint commitment to preventing Iran—a state-sponsor of terror—from acquiring nuclear weapons and sabotaging peace between Israel and the Palestinians.
"It is clear that Iran is among the greatest challenges we face today in the Middle East," a joint U.S.-Israeli statement from the semiannual Strategic Dialogue meeting said.
As part of an ongoing effort to combat Iran's "noncompliance with its international obligations related to its nuclear program, as well as its continued support for terrorist entities," Israeli Deputy Foreign Minister Danny Ayalon and U.S. Deputy Secretary of State James Steinberg said they would cooperate on effective policies for regional security and stability.
"The Strategic Dialogue is especially important at this time because of global uncertainty, however together the U.S. and Israel will meet all challenges and continue our special relationship as best friends and allies," Ayalon told The Israel Project.
Since 2002—when Iran's nuclear program was disclosed—Iran has continued to move towards nuclear capability and regional hegemony.
The U.S. Congress passed the Comprehensive Iran Sanctions, Accountability, and Divestment Act of 2009 in July 2010. The law aims to tackle Iran's "illicit nuclear efforts, unconventional and ballistic missile development programs, and support for international terrorism."
It amends an older law by applying stricter economic sanctions against Iran and authorizing 2010-2012 appropriations for the Department of Treasury's terrorism and financial intelligence activities.
Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad visited Lebanon, including a region just a few miles from the Israeli border on Oct. 13-14 in what was widely seen as provocation of Israel and an effort to disrupt the region's stability.
Iran is the world’s largest state-sponsor of terrorism and operates through various proxies, notably Hezbollah in Lebanon. The Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps-Qods Force (IRGC-QF) trains troops around the world and covertly supplies weapons to advance "Iranian interests."
Earlier this year, Iran gave Hezbollah approximately $200 million and set up fighter camps in Lebanon in an effort "to advance its regional policy objectives."
A Pentagon report about Iran's military strategy and support for terrorism was presented to the U.S. Congress in April 2010. According to the report:
"Iran has (also) extended its outreach and support to government and dissident groups that oppose U.S. interests. In particular, it uses terrorism to pressure or intimidate other countries and more broadly to leverage it as a strategic deterrent. The most notable example of this strategy includes Iran's support for Lebanese Hizballah as well as its influence over proxy groups in Iraq."
"Iran's military strategy is designed to defend against external or 'hard' threats from the United States and Israel."
"Iran provides Lebanese Hizballah and Palestinian terrorist groups – notably, HAMAS, Palestinian Islamic Jihad, and the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP-GC) – with funding, weapons, and training to oppose Israel and disrupt the Middle East Peace Process."