Selling War: White House Says Attack Will ‘Protect Israel’

Attack Might Conceivably Intimidate Iran, Administration Suggests

Selling Congress on another, wildly unpopular war is no easy task, and many see it as extremely doubtful Congress will ever agree to do so. The Obama Administration has a plan though: make it all about Israel.

Congress loves Israel with a passion, and getting Israel even remotely linked to a resolution is usually enough to ensure a landslide victory. But the administration’s claims that attacking Syria will “protect Israel” are not just cynical, they’re also extremely doubtful.

Ever since Obama indicated his intention to attack Syria, Israelis have been scrambling to get anti-chemical masks and fretting the prospect that the US attack will provoke retaliation against them, either overt by Syria or covert by Hezbollah or some other militia.

Because the Obama Administration’s attack would obviously put Israel at direct risk, officials are going to try to spin it as about intimidating Iran, arguing that attacking Syria on dubious allegations would make their constant threats to attack Iran more credible.

Israeli officials are desperately trying to stay out of the argument for war with Syria, but if the president looks like he’s going to lose, expect them to be dragged into the effort, no matter how unwillingly.

Antiwar.com urges all readers to contact their Congressmen and urge them to vote against attacking Syria. Click here for contract information.

Author: Jason Ditz

Jason Ditz is Senior Editor for Antiwar.com. He has 20 years of experience in foreign policy research and his work has appeared in The American Conservative, Responsible Statecraft, Forbes, Toronto Star, Minneapolis Star-Tribune, Providence Journal, Washington Times, and the Detroit Free Press.