The Wonk Room

Bolton: I Fear That Obama Would Not Come To Israel’s Aid

Today at CPAC, after declaring that “for those who felt the Obama administration would be friendly to Israel, it’s wake up time,” former Ambassador John Bolton was asked if, “when the Arab nations attack Israel,” which the questioner expected to occur “within six months to a year,” Bolton thinks the Obama administration will act to defend Israel.

Bolton responded to this question as if it were reasonable, saying “I don’t know what the Obama administration will do in response” to an attack by the Arab nations against Israel:

BOLTON: I would certainly hope they would come to Israel’s assistance, but I think there’s no guarantee of it. I think the more likely response is to appoint a special envoy and try to negotiate an end the hostilities.

Q: Your short answer then would be “no”.

BOLTON: I very much fear that’s right.

Watch it:

As should be obvious, the scenario presented is ridiculous. There is no analyst on the right or the left who seriously thinks that the Arab states are preparing to attack Israel. (Right now these states are much more concerned about Iran, and the extent to which Iranian power and influence in the region was greatly increased as a result of the Iraq war, which Bolton still insists was awesome.) But, if this never-going-to-happen scenario did actually come to pass, I think there is little doubt that the United States would come to Israel’s aid. (Though, as it has in the past, this aid would probably come mainly in the form of replenishing the arsenal of Israel’s military, the conventional dominance of which is a main reason why the scenario is nonsensical.) But Bolton doesn’t allow any of this to get in the way of trashing the Obama administration with shameless fearmongering about Israel.