Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Thank you. I've been waiting for someone to ask this question.
Before I begin, maybe you can tell me why folks like yourself never question our government's $1.8 billion annual aid to Egypt -- an enemy of Israel and Jews worldwide -- and $10 $billion annual aid to Saudi Arabia -- also, an enemy of Israel and Jews worldwide, but, more importantly, the greatest purveyor of worldwide Islamofascism?
Why does this Administration want to give $20 billion in advanced jet fighters and other sophisticated weaponry to Egypt -- home of the Muslim Brotherhood , and to Saudi Arabia -- home for fifteen of the nineteen 9/11 hijackers, and two countries with the worst human rights records?
While you're pondering that, let me tell you what we get back for our buck to Israel.
U.S. government aid to Israel is one of the most cost-effective investments that Americans make in support of their international interests. Why, you ask?
Because virtually the entire annual $1.2 billion economic aid is returned back to the United States in the form of debt repayment. Not only that, $1.325 of the $1.8 billion annual military aid must, by law, be spent in the United States, creating tens of thousands of American jobs.
• 1970s - Joseph Sisco, a former U.S. Assistant Secretary of State, assistant to Secretary of State Henry Kissinger during the latter’s shuttle diplomacy, told the Israeli author and military expert, Shmuel Katz: “I want to assure you, Mr. Katz, that if we were not getting full value for our money, you would not get a cent from us.”
• In 1981, Israel bombed the Iraqi nuclear reactor at Osirak, delaying Saddam Hussein’s quest for nuclear weapons. It thus provided the U.S. with the option of engaging in conventional wars with Iraq
in 1991 and 2003.
• The vice president General Dynamics which produces the F16 fighter jets has stated that Israel is responsible for 600 improvements in the plane's systems, modifications estimated to be worth billions of dollars, which spared dozens of research and development years.
• In 1982, Israel destroyed Soviet anti-aircraft batteries in Lebanon that were considered immune to American weapons. Israel promptly shared the operation's lessons, estimated to be worth billions of dollars.
• Former Secretary of State and NATO forces commander Alexander Haig has stated that he is pro-Israeli because Israel is the largest American aircraft carrier in the world that cannot be sunk, does not carry even one American soldier, and is located in a critical region for American national security.
• During the first Gulf War 1991, Israel provided invaluable intelligence, an umbrella of air cover for military cargo, and had personnel planted in the Iraqi desert to pick up downed American pilots.
"that isn't directly related to Israel's own interests." What a stupid premise.
What country would NOT do things related to their own interests?
The various governments of France and the UK (just to name two examples) often are committed to actions that benefit the USA more than themselves (UK supporting the U.S. in the Iraq War for example and, yeah, that was stupid but still).
Another is France's Statue of Liberty gift.
It is called diplomacy and strengthening diplomatic relations.
Surely Israel has shown America such grace without expecting anything in return (or at least DIRECTLY in return).
I just have trouble thinking of examples that didn't involve a PRIVATE company's breakthrough in medicine or technology.
Mostly what we see done for us by Israel is directly related to Israel's own defense against Muslim nations or terrorists (such as sharing intelligence about Hezbollah).
Post #352 is an example of what I'm talking about.
It would have been hard for exiled Jews to create a homeland in Palestine if WWII were still raging.
The Jews who founded Israel invented the Nuke so we could win WW2.
Quote:
Originally Posted by clb10
The various governments of France and the UK (just to name two examples) often are committed to actions that benefit the USA more than themselves (UK supporting the U.S. in the Iraq War for example and, yeah, that was stupid but still).
Another is France's Statue of Liberty gift.
It is called diplomacy and strengthening diplomatic relations.
Surely Israel has shown America such grace without expecting anything in return (or at least DIRECTLY in return).
I just have trouble thinking of examples that didn't involve a PRIVATE company's breakthrough in medicine or technology.
Mostly what we see done for us by Israel is directly related to Israel's own defense against Muslim nations or terrorists (such as sharing intelligence about Hezbollah).
Post #352 is an example of what I'm talking about.
It would have been hard for exiled Jews to create a homeland in Palestine if WWII were still raging.
During WWI, the British Ministry of Munitions which was run by the future prime minister David Lloyd George. asked the brilliant chemist Chaim Weizmann of Manchester University if there was an alternative way of making acetone in large quantities. Weizmann said yes. So Chaim Weizmann (who later became Israel's first president) helped the British (and the Allies) win WWI. So if the Muslim Turkey hadn't lost control of Palestine during WWI, Israel probably wouldn't have been created either.
Really not much there, Great Britain and France have down more for us, anything meaningful in the last 20 years.
Sure, they do "wet work" that our country can't do (due to the current occupant of the White House), they have HUMINT (human intelligence,on the ground everywhere that matters) that we'll most likely NEVER have again (we did once) instead we just fly toy airplanes (drones) and bomb stuff we "think" is a target without knowing for SURE.
They have a country we've used as a staging point before and may need to in the future and we don't have to fear being told "No" (for now, this may change if the idiots in DC. keep insulting them).
The biggest recent one (for me) is their staging rescue personnel in the desert to pick up our soldiers/pilots during Gulf War 1&2.
Did any of our other "allies" in the region do this? Hmmmmm?
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
