Israel has never requested assistance from the USA in any of its wars....Israel stood alone in its military campaigns, she was victorious, and remains a strong country, democratic, and desirous for peace...
--- President Shimon Peres
Peres said this yesterday in Russia responding to attacks in the US that Israel has demanded the US fight on its behalf against Iran.
It's a nice quote. Problem is, it's not true. If you read Oren's book on the Six Day War, Israel basically begs the US for their help (of course it never came).
ReplyDeleteHowever, the US actively resupplied Israel during each of its most recent conflicts.
US troops have never entered combat for Israel, true. BUT, in '73 there was a stand-off between the US 6th Fleet and the Russians. If the Russians hadn't blinked, it would have been a big, bloody deal, very likely. And, of course, the massive and ongoing resupply by air after the first days of the war kept the IDF in supplies. Without it, we might not be talking about it.
ReplyDeleteI won't say what I think of Peres and yet another of his fabulous pronouncements.