the title refers to Melvin Laird (Nixon's secretary of defense) who implied that Israel is a local cop on the beat (in the middle east) and Chomsky adds: "and police headquarters remain in Washington"
Chomsky, N. (2002). Israel: Rewarding the Cop on the Beat. In Chomsky, N. Class Warfare: Interviews with David Barsamian. Pluto Press, pp. 155-184