Good timing, because many of their neighbors can't seem to function as adults: Egypt, Iraq, Syria, and Turkey. [rQUOTEr] U.S., Israel sign $38 billion military aid package The United States will give Israel $38 billion in military assistance over the next decade, the largest such aid package in U.S. history, under a landmark agreement signed on Wednesday. The deal, whose details were reported by Reuters earlier, will allow Washington's chief Middle East ally to upgrade most of its fighter aircraft, improve its ground forces' mobility and strengthen its missile defense systems, a senior U.S. official said. While the package constitutes the most U.S. military aid ever given to any country, it entails concessions by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, according to officials on both sides. ...[/rQUOTEr]
$38 billion. $38,000,000,000. Would rather use that money to help ourselves, our broken healthcare system, our economy, our messed up education system, to end childhood hunger and homelessness. Instead that money will be used to kill more innocent lives.
It looks like a lot of money, but it is not. 3.3B per year is something like 0.1% of annual spending.
Still cannot drink the water in Flint Big Oil still trying to pollute the water with their pipelines Still not enough money spent on education but hey . . . let's hook up Isreal !!!! Rocket River
I hope you're being sarcastic because anybody who thinks giving away 38 billions is a good thing has their head on backwards.
On an annualized basis, this is consistent with what Israel already gets. This was agreed back in June apparently with worries of Obama's successor stopping or slowing aid -- Trump, Clinton or Sanders. http://www.upi.com/Top_News/US/2016...to-any-country-says-Susan-Rice/5461465914964/
each f-35 cost roughly 118 million, a total of 33 unit purchase would be around 3.8 Billions. i don't see why is it bad . at least they buy American made products ..from american buckets too
WTF? Why don't we make them pay for it at least instead of just gifting them money. Horrible idea. They already have the strongest military in the middle east by far.
Most of that money will have to be used to buy things from US companies, as before they were allowed to use a certain percentage for domestic stuff. I expect a few Israeli columnists to whine about that. So despite being the largest amount ever given to Israel (thanks a lot Obama) it all goes straight to US defense contractors.
fwiw: There is a provision that eliminates their ability to spend money within their own defense industry. They must buy American.
The article makes it sound like this was pushed by Republicans in Congress. Note also that it appears to be replacing a previous 10-yr deal for $30b signed in 2007
That's the thing our tax dollars are going to help corporations that make this stuff. They are basically getting a handout.
I think any aid should be tied to ending expansion and moving to a peace deal. Israel can do whatever it wants. It can continue to violate UN resolutions and still get aid? If any other country that is not Russia or China were to take territory illegally like this they would be slammed with sanctions, not gifted aid.
Not a fan of big military aid packages to Israel, but this is status quo not a new dysfunction. Given the Iran deal, I suppose it was politically unavoidable.
