Why does the US support Israel instead of Iran?

Answer 1

Answer 1

This policy of support for the State of Israel goes back to the Truman Adminstration. Iran lost U.S. support in the Carter Adminstration. The Obama Adminsitration has been rethinking these relationships and is working to reverse both of these decisions of previous adminstrations.

Answer 2

The question assumes that it is an either/or situation. In many political conflicts in the world, the US maintains supportive and positive relations with both parties. Some examples include: Pakistan/India, Indonesia/East Timor, China/Taiwan, Russia/Georgia, Armenia/Azerbaijan, Turkey/Cyprus, etc. The US relationship with Israel and the US relationship with Iran are based on fundamentally different factors.

Israel and the United States started on friendly terms with the United States approving the 1947 Partition Plan. However, until the Six-Day War of 1967, the United States did not see Israel as a country that would exist in the long-term because of Arab belligerence against the State. After Israel's stunning victory in that war, the United States became Israel's primary Western Ally and began to trade technologies, both civilian and military, with Israel. Israel has cooperated with the United States on diplomatic issues, military and intelligence exchanges, large amounts of trade, and significant technological investment. In addition there a numerous Americans who support the State of Israel because of religious convictions on top of the already-listed reasons. The United States government, therefore takes a pro-Israel stance in international politics and is often seen as Israel's backer. As a result, the United States opinion on the conflict is often harsher on Palestinian Terrorism than the Israeli Occupation.

Iran and the United States were close allies through much of the Cold War and the Shah of Iran took a decidedly pro-Western political view. In 1951, the Shah of Iran was ousted, leading to the United States CIA collaborating with the British to reinstall the Shah in 1953 called Operation Ajax. From 1953-1979, the Shah of Iran maintained strong military alliances with pro-Western countries, including Israel. In 1979, the Islamic Republic of Iran was declared and the Shah fled once more. He eventually ended up in New York in November of 1979 for medical surgery. The Islamic Republic demanded that the US render the Shah to them for a trial (and likely torture). The US refusal to do so met with Iranian anger that manifested in the attack on the US Embassy in Tehran. This invasion of the US diplomatic rights in Tehran led to the US ending relations with Iran, under President Carter.

Additionally, Answer 1 is incorrect concerning US Support for Israel. It only goes back to the Johnson Administration (1967). Prior to that US-Israel relations were cordial, but not openly supportive.