During the final U.S. presidential debate, which focused on foreign policy, President Barack Obama mentioned Israel no fewer than 17 times. He reiterated once again the message that he has repeated throughout his presidency: Israel is a true friend and the greatest U.S. ally in the region. He also repeated his commitment to prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons. More Related to this Story Some argue that the President's statements should be taken with a grain of salt, considering that they were made during a close election campaign and that Mr. Obama was intent on wooing both the Jewish and evangelical vote. Now that he has been re-elected, the question becomes: Can Israel take the President at his word and rely on his promises regarding Iran? A nuclear bomb is not only a threat to Israeli security but also to U.S. national security. Mr. Obama has made this clear and, since taking office in 2009, has consistently warned against the grave ramifications of a nuclear-armed Iran. In an effort to force Iran to negotiate an end to its nuclear weapons drive, the President has painstakingly cobbled together an international coalition that has imposed the most crippling sanctions against Iran to date, built up a highly visible U.S. military presence in the Persian Gulf, developed a regional missile defence system and, according to reports in leading Western media outlets, engaged in covert action aimed at delaying the nuclear program. Yet, despite sharing the same strategic goal and pool of intelligence on