Ellington

As I watch the presidential and vice presidential debates and hear the candidates drop the world “Israel” in the hopes of gaining the Jewish vote, I can’t help but be dubious.

Let me start by saying that I love this country; I am the proudest American you will find. I’m deeply saddened by the division between right and left and by the struggles we are facing as a nation. I firmly believe that these problems have arisen because we haven’t yet come to terms with globalization. The decisions we make in this country will affect other countries and other countries’ decisions will affect us. This is true for our financial markets, our diplomatic relations, our energy policies, our national security and numerous other factors.

I will say that while it’s definitely not the only issue, the country of Israel is important to the Jewish people. Zionism is a response to the horrible racism of the last century and holds a place in the heart of Jews and non-Jews alike.

And yes, it will probably be on the mind of many American Jews as they vote next week. But it’s a piece in a much larger puzzle — the puzzle of the Middle East. And to win my vote, I’d like to hear more than name-dropping.

Syria, Iran, Iraq, Pakistan, Russia, Georgia, China, etc. — this global game of Risk is getting dangerous and what I want in our next president is a leader who can juggle them all.

I’m especially conflicted because I don’t think it’s right for the United States to use its military weight to constantly push countries around — especially since we’re starting to spread ourselves too thin.

But I also don’t see the value in sitting down to negotiate with governments that have the annihilation of Israel ingrained into their very existence.

What I want in a president is someone who will control what I see as an inevitable Middle Eastern arms race that will assure the destruction of my small country ­­— 263 miles long by 71 miles wide at the widest point.

What I want in my senators and congressional representatives are people who will push aside party politics to work together with our new president to ensure that a rational plan of action gets put into place to deal with world powers and rogue states.

Because if our national security is in jeopardy — and believe me, at the rate we’re going, it is — then America won’t be able to address all the other problems hindering us from reaching our full potential as a country.

So, while my religion gives me a closer connection to the state of Israel, my concern for American national security will play a larger role in my vote this November.

Reach columnist Natalie Sikavi at opinion@dailyuw.com.