Has it ever occured to you that having an ally armed with nuclear weapons in the Middle East is probably a good idea, as far as our safety goes?

Israel is strategically important to the United States for a number of reasons. However, Israel most certainly cannot fight its own battle, because it would destabalize the entire Middle East. If America attacks one country, that country is destabalized. If Israel attacks one country, the rest of them jump all over Israel like a pack of wolves. Six Day War, Yom Kippur War... Need I go on?

That, and there's the whole 'population' thing.

While serving in the IDF is mandatory, Israel is still only the size of New Jersey. There are more Jews in New York City than in Israel, and the population of Israel is about 80% Jewish. That means that America has more soldiers in its pinky than in Israel's entire body.