Staying in Iraq hurts Israel

Yes, friends, another bit of dearly beloved, GOP-Jew conventional wisdom has been turned on its head, this time by Daniel Kurtzer, the former US Ambassador to Egypt and Israel.

As reported by our friends at CampusJ, Kurtzer told an audience at YU that the continued war with Iraq is bad for Israel. Money quote:

Kurtzer explained that while the U.S.’s initial success in Iraq in 2003 had gained Israeli support for the war because it shattered thelong-feared Eastern Front, removing the possibility that Iraq wouldbuild an Arab coalition across the Jordan River into Israel, the currentsituation in Iraq poses new “direct and indirect threats to Israel.” Hecited the unrest and unpredictability of the region as having a heavyimpact on Israel, and reiterated that the U.S. must withdraw from Iraqso that it would be able to address other issues in the international arena.

The ambassador's position was challanged by Aviva Horowitz, a Stern College political science major who appears to have the makings of a good blogger. She found Kurtzer’s call for a quick withdrawal from Iraq to be “idiotic.” Well spoken, Aviva Horowitz! Though you're wrong, your style would fit right in at DovBear.

Also, Dr. Ruth Westheimer was at the lecture.