Israel is requesting an extra US $20 billion in military aid from the USA, in addition to the US $30 billion ten year programme given to Israel in 2007 by George Bush.
While Israel did not face an immediate threat to its security, Barak told the WSJ, “The issue of qualitative military aid for Israel becomes more essential for us, and I believe also more essential for you [the U.S.].
“It might be wise to invest another $20 billion to upgrade the security of Israel for the next generation or so,” he said, adding: “A strong, responsible Israel can become a stabilizer in such a turbulent region.”
Doubtless those US taxpayers who are unemployed, have their homes reposessed, or cannot afford medical treatment will be delighted by this. But I hope that Barak’s basic thesis is correct, and that democracy will bring an end to Arab tolerance of Israel’s slow genocide against the Palestinians.
To quote Bill Hicks – "Jesus, what balls! They must be wearing specially-fitted trousers to accomodate those unfeasibly large testicles!" … well, a rough quote.
Israel is pissing with the smell of democracy in arab world. The dictators were not those who represented the wishes of ordinary people. Justice will prevail one day and Palestine will become FREE!
As long as this giveaway doesn't interfere with tax cuts for multi-millionaires and billionaires, I'm sure the great US media will not be troubling the American public with this news.
The clue was in the very link you have just read:
"Barak told the WSJ…"
WSJ is Wall Street Journal. The Wall Street Journal can fairly be called the US media:
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703…
The New York Times also has this story:
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/09/world/middleeas…
"A strong, responsible Israel can become a stabilizer in such a turbulent region" How many decades have we been hearing this? its never happened as Israel main function is to destabilise the region.
No Israel with Ehud Barak as defence minister, let alone Netanyahu for Prime Minister will be "responsible". From reading Israeli historians like Avi Shlaim, Ilan Pappe (and even the now wildly pro-Israel Benny Morris) i'm not sure Israel has ever had a government that could be described as "responsible" unless that word is followed by "for war crimes".
I don't doubt they'll get their $20 billion extra though – they always invest enough in AIPAC to ensure it's funding lots of members of congress' election campaigns and being seen as not supporting Israel is the touch of death for US Presidents (and certainly Democratic ones)
For more information on the role of AIPAC in maintaining the untouchable status of US aid to Israel, despite drastic cutbacks in other areas, read M.J. Rosenberg's article in Al Jazeera –
http://english.aljazeera.net/indepth/opinion/2011…
They'll get what they want. Or a substantial chunk of it; the 20 billion may be a bargaining figure.
Yowzers! Suppose it's better to be upfront about it but still…that's a lot of coinage.
It always amuses me that the Israelis try to pretend that what's good for Israel is good for the US – and so the latter better cough up the extra billions in military 'aid'. In reality, Israel is a massive strategic millstone around America's neck and will become ever more so should the US be forced to choose between its Arab allies and its unquestioning support for Israel. Thus far, due to the fact that most Arab leaders are US clients, the US never had to make that choice. But if the pro-democracy uprisings succeed, they may soon find themselves questioning just where their interests lie. Of course, AIPAC will lobby hard to make them see things a certain way, but it will be interesting to see if they prevail.
Its crunchtime for Washington, because the voices will get louder, people will do the sums and as much as AIPAC is assured of support, unless there is a strategic situation, a clash with Syria or even Iran, the administration will be hard pushed to justify such sums to the Chinese who will probably be paying for it via US bonds.
Its unsustainable and will end one day, whether its before or after another great calamity is to be seen.
I agree with those who say that Israel is most dangerous when pushed to accept facts, when humiliation looms.
Israel has never paid back one dime of the money loaned by the U.S. even though they brag that they have. Because of the power of AIPAC all Israeli debt to the U.S. has been forgiven. In other words, they ride for free. Why should they pay for their own munitions when AIPAC can strong-arm our cowardly Congress to pay for it? Has there been any talk about curbing Foreign Aid during this debt crisis?
"Europe's Israel romance is on the wane" – Daud Abdullah – Guardian
Europeans' perception of Israel has changed decisively, and their understanding of the Israel-Palestine conflict, while still giving some cause for concern, has improved significantly.
(according to a new poll by ICM for the Middle East Monitor)
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2011/mar/…