President Trump and Israel: what to expect and Whom to trust

by Tom Brennan

As America moves toward the inauguration of the 45th President, a non-politician- real estate developer and media personality, Donald J. Trump, there is a sense of expectation for serious change in the last 8 years of open betrayal of Israel and many other allies. To date, Mr. Trump’s statements and proposals about renewing of the relationship that has been a long success between the two nations have been encouraging. But many facts need to be taken into consideration.

Recently the Chief Sephardic Rabbi of Israel, Yitzhak Yosef said that in truth Israel cannot depend on America, or any nation; only on God. Truer words have yet to be spoken. The history of the Jewish people is full of betrayal, inquisition, pogrom, and holocausts at the hands of ostensibly Christian nations and peoples. The recent anti-Israel vote in the UN, the interference in Israel’s elections, the refusal to deal with Islamic Jihadist violence and many other outright anti-Semitic and even anti-Christian home legal actions are proof of the truth-gap of the last 8 years. The mainstream media in America and in other Western nations has been a willing accomplice to these moves and is only now realizing that its previous monopoly on “news” has been broken by the alternate media. An internet savvy public has seen through the slick presentations of commentators to seek facts with documentation. At the very least the propaganda war against Israel appears to be going bad for her opponents.

Mr. Trump has openly questioned the highly promoted F-35 fighter and realists will support his statements. The aircraft is over budget, very expensive; overly dependent on software and “hacked” technology (China has openly pirated so much USA technology that no one even questioned their activity online). It is also a single engine aircraft. Pilot survivability is a more likely outcome with two engines, no matter how stealthy. The aging F-15 series is proof of what a well piloted and twin engine warplane can do. Trump has stated that an upgraded F-18 is a ready to go and seriously capable counterpart. As someone who sees both aircraft on a regular basis, I share his opinion. Originally, the USA refused access to much F-35 software to Israel in the preliminary negotiations, Chinese pirating notwithstanding. Recent acquiescence to Israel to allow for the usual Israeli-innovations will result in a better warplane.

Realistically, the USA is war-weary in excessive troop deployments, equipment and materiel status, and the reversal of victories in Iraq and Afghanistan. Iraq was evacuated too early to be ready for restored nationhood and the Taliban are winning in Afghanistan and ISIS has a large foothold there as well. The US Navy stands at 272 combat-ready ships, Chinese moves in the South China Sea have aroused serious doubt in US commitment as the Philippines have now begun courting China and Russia. Ships take time to build the new goal of 355 combat ready vessels will take years and events have overtaken a worn down America.

Perhaps the worst act of betrayal was the abstention in the recent UN vote about settlements and the status of the Temple Mount. Fortunately, the Congress voted to repudiate visibly and vocally this decision by an administration that seems to be oblivious to any opinion but its own. Here again, the mainstream media parrots the “party line” at its own peril.

Rabbi Yosef’s statement is totally accurate and correct: trust neither in princes nor in horses is the basic fact of Israel’s existence. Although many in America seek a restoration of a Christian-based morality and a renewed sense of national vigor, the lines are clearly drawn. Like Israel, America will have to place its first trust in God and put the prince and his horses in perspective. Stand with The Land.

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