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.
Hey stop giving Israel aid. Israel can stop giving America Intel or a foot in the Middle east or a valuable allie in that region or scientific and technical know how or bases and back up during any conflict there. The relationship with Israel is symbiotic. So funny hw some people on here think that aid between Israel and America is one way. Nothing could be further from the truth.
Aid is a two way street between America and Israel, however one direction is a 10 lane interstate flowing into Israel and a cobblestone alley leading back to America.
How many US planes, tanks and troops are stationed or based out of Israel or have been in the last two Middle East conflicts? How many US planes, tanks, or troops were stationed in Saudi Arabia, Diego Garcia, Turkey, or even in the UAE.
Israel is certainly an ally, but can you cite what strategic reasons that takes our alliance beyond that of which we have with any other nation on the globe and commits us to a "special relationship" as per the US State Dept.? Can you cite any US military engagement in the Middle East in the past 25 years in which Israel has "backed up" the US by military means other than localized intelligence?
US interest in the Middle East eventually and at some point always comes down to our position on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and its lack of resolution. When we claim to broker a peace, yet we never hold Israel accountable to the continuation of the illegal settlements and write our protestations on the back of foreign aid checks, it shows the world what bed we sleep in and there by nullifying any reasonable attempts to act as a mediator in any peace deals. The US should either cede the mediation of this issue to others who are more objective or hold both the Palestinians and the Israel's accountable to the agreements they sign.
Aid is a two way street between America and Israel, however one direction is a 10 lane interstate flowing into Israel and a cobblestone alley leading back to America.
How many US planes, tanks and troops are stationed or based out of Israel or have been in the last two Middle East conflicts? How many US planes, tanks, or troops were stationed in Saudi Arabia, Diego Garcia, Turkey, or even in the UAE.
Israel is certainly an ally, but can you cite what strategic reasons that takes our alliance beyond that of which we have with any other nation on the globe and commits us to a "special relationship" as per the US State Dept.? Can you cite any US military engagement in the Middle East in the past 25 years in which Israel has "backed up" the US by military means other than localized intelligence?
US interest in the Middle East eventually and at some point always comes down to our position on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and its lack of resolution. When we claim to broker a peace, yet we never hold Israel accountable to the continuation of the illegal settlements and write our protestations on the back of foreign aid checks, it shows the world what bed we sleep in and there by nullifying any reasonable attempts to act as a mediator in any peace deals. The US should either cede the mediation of this issue to others who are more objective or hold both the Palestinians and the Israel's accountable to the agreements they sign.
In both Iraqi wars Israel gave America vital intel on Iraqi troop movements and Mosad gave America vital intel into strategic targets in Iraq. The only reason that Israel did not use its military against iraq was because America asked them to hold back.
You can only mediate between two sides if both sides are open to peace.
Israel has tried and tried to obtain peace with Palastine, pulling out of the Gaza and destroying its own settlements. Amazing how the Arabs attacked Israel, lost big time and now want Israel to give land back taken in war. Palastine must stop launching bombs at civilians and using suicide bombers otherwise they are not in any way ready for mediation.
There is no one in the Middle East that America can trust except Israel. America is not that stupid to cut off the only allie it has in the Middle East.
Well here is what it all boils down to as stated earlier this week.
“Israelis must acknowledge that just as Israel’s right to exist cannot be denied, neither can Palestine’s,” Mr. Obama said. “The United States does not accept the legitimacy of continued Israeli settlements. This construction violates previous agreements and undermines efforts to achieve peace. It is time for these settlements to stop.”
There you have it in black and white.
Whatever Israel's internal concerns are, those are Israeli issues and they should and will act upon them as they see fit. In this case, we are talking about US foreign aid to Israel in light of Israel's refusal to halt the illegal settlements despite our protestations. This issue between the United States and Israel is what is the point of this thread is and as you can see, we have a President who is for the first time in a very long time stating publicly and even forcibly our intentions.
Outside of all of this, there is that small issue of the Symington Amendment which makes it illegal for the United States to provide any aid or support to nuclear nations who have not signed the Non Proliferation Treaty. Israel has not, so thus it is illegal for the US to send them aid. The greater question might be, will Obama continue an illegal program of aid and support to a nuclear nation which has not signed the NPT, despite it being a law.
Palastine was given billions of Dollars and huge aid by the United States and the west. It went straight into Arafat's Fench bank as his people starved. Israel is not the only nation to have recieved money from America but it is the huge difference as to where both huge donations went that should tell the world something.
The West bank settlements must stop to have any hope of peace. However cutting aid (somewhat) must be backed up with other "sanctions". That said should Israel punish the United States for human right's violations....like Don't Ask Don't Tell???????? Good for the Goose so Good for the Gander????
Palastine was given billions of Dollars and huge aid by the United States and the west. It went straight into Arafat's Fench bank as his people starved. Israel is not the only nation to have recieved money from America but it is the huge difference as to where both huge donations went that should tell the world something.
How about we not give anyone money in the middle east to anyone. News Flash, we are broke! Pull the troops out of the middle east. If they are fighting each other, less time to fight us. Instead of having a proxy war for Israel why not let Israel fight its own fight. They are fully capable of fighting there own battes.
You realize, of course, that if you held this country to the same requirements, the United States would never have expanded west of the Appalachians.
This is true, but if we held them to our same requirements then everyone would be allowed to vote there. We may have taken the Indians country, but they do have the right to vote, and don't forget the casinos
How about we not give anyone money in the middle east to anyone. News Flash, we are broke! Pull the troops out of the middle east. If they are fighting each other, less time to fight us. Instead of having a proxy war for Israel why not let Israel fight its own fight. They are fully capable of fighting there own battes.
We'd save lives and money. It's win win.
Turn the new embassys into a theme park.
You realize, of course, that if you held this country to the same requirements, the United States would never have expanded west of the Appalachians.
Hey, if Israel wishes to continue to create more settlements and create Eretz Yisrael, then so be it, just do it without US support or funding.
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.
