U.S. Support for Israel's Qualitative Military Edge Featuring Andrew J. Shapiro, Assistant Secretary of State for Political-Military AffairsNovember 4, 2011
Andrew J. Shapiro, assistant secretary of state for political-military affairs, presented a comprehensive assessment of the Obama administration's commitment to Israel's quantitative military edge (QME) in remarks to The Washington Institute on Friday, November 4.
"For Israel, a country with security challenges that few countries in the world can contemplate, the volatility that we are witnessing in the region is both a cause for optimism and concern," Shapiro said. "But in these changing times, there is one thing that Israel can always be certain of — and that's America's enduring commitment to its security."
The official enumerated the many ways that the United States is ensuring Israel's QME against the background of a changing Middle East and U.S. budgetary constraints. He underscored Israel's strategic importance to the United States and cited the Institute's new study on the subject by Robert D. Blackwill and Walter B. Slocombe.
Download his prepared remarks (PDF).
Andrew J. Shapiro, assistant secretary of state for political-military affairs, previously served as senior advisor to Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton and, from 2001 to 2009, as Senator Clinton's senior defense and foreign policy advisor. In this capacity, he was the senator's primary advisor on national security issues, including her work on the Senate Armed Services Committee. A lawyer, Mr. Shapiro is a recipient of the Gold Star Wives of America Appreciation Award and the National Guard Association's Patrick Henry Award. He is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations and the International Institute of Strategic Studies.
Original Page: http://www.washingtoninstitute.org/templateC07.php?CID=608