The Weekly Portion: No need for America's 'nuclear umbrella'

This week, although I was deeply engrossed in the successful primaries of the "Strong Israel" party (the first primaries in the world to be conducted entirely via the Internet, without a hitch, and with a 93% voter-turnout) my attention was drawn to the headline that the new American administration is going to offer Israel a "nuclear umbrella" in case of an attack by Iran.

This is not necessarily good news. This offer, more than it speaks of a friendship toward Israel, expresses an American resignation to the nuclearization of Iran. The 'nuclear umbrella' is meant to bring about an Israeli resignation to this reality. What the proposal means is that America will threaten Iran with a 'second strike' in response to any attack on Israel's cities with nuclear weapons.

It must be clearly stated: we have no need for an American 'second strike' response. Such a response, for an Israel struck by nuclear weapons, would come too late; and I believe that we will be able to respond by ourselves.

An American action is needed not for the response of a second strike, but so as to keep Iran from making a first strike. That first strike can still be prevented if the Ayatollah's regime is struck. Not struck militarily, but struck economically, so that it is no longer able to govern in Iran. The declining price of oil is creating budgetary difficulties for the Iranian regime. Its budget has been built on an expectation of an oil price of 80 dollars to the barrel, and now that price has dropped to below 50 dollars. If effective sanctions are put in place now, this will effectively destabilize the regime. The necessary sanctions are these:

1. A complete boycott of the entire Iranian banking system.

2. An end to the sale of refined oil products, especially gasoline, to Iran. About half of Iran's consumption of oil is imported from beyond its borders.

3. An end to the provision of spare parts and to all investments in the Iranian oil and gas industries.

It will be enough if the United States and its traditional allies, Canada, Britain and Australia, along with another large country or two in Europe, join in upholding these sanctions, for them to work.

The task for the United States now under Obama is to lead the economic campaign against Iran. This is preferable to a military campaign, and certainly to a futile diplomacy. The policy of engagement led by Europe the last few years has allowed Iran to gain time and progress to the acquisition of the bomb.

If the new American administration does indeed offer Israel such a nuclear umbrella, instead of taking a determined economic action, the offer should be politely declined. We do not need it. Israel's security must not be placed in the hands of foreigners, however friendly. We shall deter our enemies by ourselves, and if we are left alone in any case, must not count on anyone but ourselves.