Political Crossfire Forums

Dabearsdabest · Joined: 13 Nov 2006 Posts: 2

This may seem like a stupid question to some of you but I've always wondered why the US feels obligated to Israel. Why do we give them a bunch of guns, tanks, planes? Are they used as an American quick response team in the Middle East or something?

Thanks.

psholtz · Joined: 15 Feb 2004 Posts: 23468 Location: California

Dabearsdabest wrote: This may seem like a stupid question to some of you but I've always wondered why the US feels obligated to Israel. Why do we give them a bunch of guns, tanks, planes? Are they used as an American quick response team in the Middle East or something?

Thanks.
I get the feeling that rather the US is used as an Israeli rapid response team in the Middle East.. :?

A_happy_democrat · Joined: 16 Mar 2006 Posts: 167 Location: New York City

psholtz wrote: Dabearsdabest wrote: This may seem like a stupid question to some of you but I've always wondered why the US feels obligated to Israel. Why do we give them a bunch of guns, tanks, planes? Are they used as an American quick response team in the Middle East or something?

Thanks.
I get the feeling that rather the US is used as an Israeli rapid response team in the Middle East.. :?
Yes, during the War in Lebanon bush remarked (I'm Paraphrasing) off camera and thinking he was alone, to Prime Minister Blair: Thank god the Israelis are blowing the S*it (Yes he did curse) out of Lebanon or we would have to.

Vargo · Joined: 28 Oct 2006 Posts: 205

A_happy_democrat wrote: psholtz wrote: Dabearsdabest wrote: This may seem like a stupid question to some of you but I've always wondered why the US feels obligated to Israel. Why do we give them a bunch of guns, tanks, planes? Are they used as an American quick response team in the Middle East or something?

Thanks.
I get the feeling that rather the US is used as an Israeli rapid response team in the Middle East.. :?
Yes, during the War in Lebanon bush remarked (I'm Paraphrasing) off camera and thinking he was alone, to Prime Minister Blair: Thank god the Israelis are blowing the S*it (Yes he did curse) out of Lebanon or we would have to. Yea I beleave that Isreal is the middle easts America. I beleave that Bush gave isreal this much power so that the U.S could have power in the middle east without doing anything at all.

Dabearsdabest · Joined: 13 Nov 2006 Posts: 2

Why doesn't the US stop supporting Israel? It's clear that our support over there only angers a bunch of them.

If we stopped, then we could better safeguard ourselves then we wouldn't need to equip Israel with all these guns and stuff to protect our interests.

Mr. Sunshine · Joined: 06 Oct 2006 Posts: 1324

Somebody has to dismantle the Iranian nuclear program. History has also proven that God is on their side, being chosen and all. The sons of Soloman are good people to be friends with, IMHO, as a confirmed by reality agnostic. :lol:

Bonobo · Joined: 21 Aug 2006 Posts: 1168 Location: London

Mr. Sunshine wrote: Somebody has to dismantle the Iranian nuclear program. History has also proven that God is on their side, being chosen and all. The sons of Soloman are good people to be friends with, IMHO, as a confirmed by reality agnostic. :lol:

Ignoring the pre-pubescent Zionism, there are many reasons.

While some believe it is the high rank of many Jews in American society (quite a common view among anti semites) the more realistic answer in my opinion is as stated before in this thread - having a 100% loyal outpost in the most hostile region in the world to you is an advantage any leader would be stupid to overlook.

This of course ignores how immoral what America funds is (And by funding I mean nearly 50% of their total annual aid budget to under 0.5% of the worlds populace), however from a strategic stand point it makes perfect sense.

Fionn mac Cumhaill · Joined: 01 Nov 2006 Posts: 246

A_happy_democrat wrote: psholtz wrote: Dabearsdabest wrote: This may seem like a stupid question to some of you but I've always wondered why the US feels obligated to Israel. Why do we give them a bunch of guns, tanks, planes? Are they used as an American quick response team in the Middle East or something?

Thanks.
I get the feeling that rather the US is used as an Israeli rapid response team in the Middle East.. :?
Yes, during the War in Lebanon bush remarked (I'm Paraphrasing) off camera and thinking he was alone, to Prime Minister Blair: Thank god the Israelis are blowing the S*it (Yes he did curse) out of Lebanon or we would have to.

I saw that clip, what he said was "Hezbollah needs to knock that sh(*t off. "

David · Joined: 28 Dec 2003 Posts: 12417 Location: Louisiana

We support Democracy's all over the world.Israel just happens to be one of them.

FarPastGone · Joined: 03 Mar 2005 Posts: 540

Why should billions of our dollars?

Bonobo · Joined: 21 Aug 2006 Posts: 1168 Location: London

David wrote: We support Democracy's all over the world.Israel just happens to be one of them.

You give close to 50% of your total aid budget to Israel. That's more than to the whole of Africa. To try and play it off as 'just another democracy we support' is either very very ignorant or very very misleading.

David · Joined: 28 Dec 2003 Posts: 12417 Location: Louisiana

We decide how much aid we give not the rest of the world.It's our money.Israel also has a lot more people wishing them to disappear from the face of the planet than the others you mention.

Bonobo · Joined: 21 Aug 2006 Posts: 1168 Location: London

David wrote: We decide how much aid we give not the rest of the world.It's our money.Israel also has a lot more people wishing them to disappear from the face of the planet than the others you mention.

I'm sorry? Well done on deciding that, that's very grown up of you.

Now back to the whole 'discussing the thread of why the US funds Israel', if you don't want to discuss it I'd suggest going elsewhere than a political forum.

WIth regards to a lot of people, when discussing close to 50% of an annual aid budget going to 0.5% of the worlds population, that argument sort of disappears.

You really have no problem giving more to Israel than to the whole of Africa?

David · Joined: 28 Dec 2003 Posts: 12417 Location: Louisiana

Like I said it's our money to give to who and how much we want.All of Africa isn't a Democracy and in fact, very little is so your question is moot.If you want Africa to have so much money why doesn't your country give it to them?

bla bla · Posted: Mon Nov 13, 2006 3:07 am Post subject:

Cox Communications wrote:
Israel is one of the world's most dynamic sources for high-tech companies with original and cutting-edge technologies, particularly in the field of communications. The country has produced more than 4,000 start-ups in the past few years, and has a robust venture capital industry to support entrepreneurs. Outside of the U.S. and Canada, Israel has more companies publicly traded on the U.S. exchanges than any other country. Virtually every major U.S. technology company has development operations in Israel or investments in Israeli companies, including IBM, Motorola, Cisco, Microsoft and HP. A joint U.S.-Israel foundation, BIRD, supports joint venture R&D projects between American and Israeli companies. LINK

Israel is many things:
A base in the Middle East.
A strong military.
Trade, development, and outsource, of technology.
Home for many related to US citizens.
A friendly conservator of the "Holy Land".

...and many other things Im shure.

Bonobo · Joined: 21 Aug 2006 Posts: 1168 Location: London

David wrote: Like I said it's our money to give to who and how much we want.All of Africa isn't a Democracy and in fact, very little is so your question is moot.If you want Africa to have so much money why doesn't your country give it to them?

We do... proprotionally we're pretty much leaders of the international donation chart for Africa.

While we still give a disgusting amount of money to Israel, it is nothing like 50%, I'd be suprised in fact if it was in double figures.

And with regards to the actual figure, as you've said twice now you're allowed to decide who you want to donate to and I again congratulate you on that, but do you have no problem with no money going where it's needed, and close to 50% going to 0.5% of the worlds populace, who are perfectly capable of feeding themselves?

And finally, wth regards to my 'moot point' of Africa, were I to discuss Egypt alone, a democracy as you pledge, with a far higher populace, huge poverty rates along with infant mortality. And you compare it to Israel with Western style life expectancies, I could go on, do you really not feel that your countries apparent fight for jusice and good isin fact not true when it behaves in this manner?

David · Joined: 28 Dec 2003 Posts: 12417 Location: Louisiana

I make no comparisons, you do.I just state a fact and you can't seem to accept it at face value.

Feslin · Joined: 01 Sep 2006 Posts: 460 Location: Clovis, New Mexico

There's obviously some rationale behind our support of Israel, whether or not we can see it.

Personally, I'm not sure why we support Israel, it's a nation on a shi**y little strip of land that has a problem with exploding coffeeshops.

But there MUST be a reason.

I'm just hoping it's not religous.

bla bla · Posted: Mon Nov 13, 2006 3:23 am Post subject:

Bonobo wrote: David wrote: Like I said it's our money to give to who and how much we want.All of Africa isn't a Democracy and in fact, very little is so your question is moot.If you want Africa to have so much money why doesn't your country give it to them?

We do... proprotionally we're pretty much leaders of the international donation chart for Africa.

While we still give a disgusting amount of money to Israel, it is nothing like 50%, I'd be suprised in fact if it was in double figures.

And with regards to the actual figure, as you've said twice now you're allowed to decide who you want to donate to and I again congratulate you on that, but do you have no problem with no money going where it's needed, and close to 50% going to 0.5% of the worlds populace, who are perfectly capable of feeding themselves?

And finally, wth regards to my 'moot point' of Africa, were I to discuss Egypt alone, a democracy as you pledge, with a far higher populace, huge poverty rates along with infant mortality. And you compare it to Israel with Western style life expectancies, I could go on, do you really not feel that your countries apparent fight for jusice and good isin fact not true when it behaves in this manner?

America should not be handing out money at all. Not until Social Security,
the national debt, and other things are in order.

The fact is those in Washington use our tax money to kiss ass in other
countries, and promote advancement of allies who's agendas meet up
with ours.

You really think Washington cares about people starving?
We have people who starve here, the richest nation on Earth, while they
play games across the globe with untold billions of our money.

Bonobo · Joined: 21 Aug 2006 Posts: 1168 Location: London

David wrote: I make no comparisons, you do.I just state a fact and you can't seem to accept it at face value.

Not really sure what you're talking about there.. but I'll try repeating my question for a third time.

Do you have a problem with sending close to 50% of your aid budget to 0.5% of the worlds populace, whome are fully capable of providing for themselves?

Lets not discuss how in many muslims minds this proves that the US is laughably biased with regards to Middle Eastern policy, let me simply ask you wether morally you think the current aid set up is right?