Ambassador
James B. Cunningham

Biography

Speeches

Greetings by
U.S. Ambassador James B. Cunningham to
Second Annual Conference “Security Challenges of the 21st Century: The U.S. and Israeli Roles in the Middle East under Changing Political Circumstances,”
December 18, 2008

Thank you for that very kind introduction, Oded.

I’m pleased to be able to join you here this afternoon, and to have the chance to reinforce the excellent, ongoing relationship that we at the U.S. Embassy have with the Institute for National Security Studies. 

About six weeks ago, I had my first opportunity to sit down with Oded and his team of security policy researchers here at the Institute.  I was more than a little impressed, and look forward to doing it again.   The insights of INSS scholars and researchers make an important contribution to the shared goal of the United States and Israel in dealing with the tough diplomatic and security challenges of this region – the subject we’ve all come together here to address.  And I am particularly pleased to welcome the distinguished U.S. visitors we have here with us:

Representative Howard Berman; Senator George Mitchell; Admiral William Fallon; Professor Paul Kennedy; and Dr. Gary Samore.   I want to thank all of you for joining this important gathering.  Welcome!

If any more proof were needed of the INSS’s credentials, this impressive and timely conference would be it.  “Changing Political Circumstances” will indeed be the name of the game for the next few months, in both Israel and the United States.    

I am not in a position to speak for the new administration yet.  But on many key issues, the President-elect has spoken for himself.  Take, for example, Iran, the subject on our next session.  On a recent appearance on Meet the Press, President-elect Obama said  that he plans “to ratchet up tough but direct diplomacy with Iran, making very clear to them that their development of nuclear weapons would be unacceptable, and that their funding of terrorist organizations like Hamas and Hezbollah and their threats against Israel are contrary to everything that we believe in.”

I recently attended the annual Saban Forum in the United States, where Iran dominated the list of “Challenges for the Next U.S. and Israeli Governments,” as that event was titled.  I think it is clear from the remarks made by many Middle East policy experts that the incoming administration will be focused on the Iranian threat.  During the next discussion, you’ll have the opportunity to consider what that might mean. 

I wish you an enjoyable and productive conference.  Thank you.