Quote from Copernicus:
Is America benefitting from its support to Israel?
It depends on how America is defined.
If it's the common people, workers, taxpayers avg folks then my vote is NO
If it's the Military industrial complex, oil companies, war industry then my vote is YES. taxpayers pay for it, (in $$$ and blood)
Lest not forget, the business of America is Business. War is excellent business.. Where else you'd charge 1500$ for bulletproofed and have the taxpayer payfor it. While the same exact vest can be had on the streets of Baghdad for $90? OR Halliburton charging 2.69/gallon gasoline to US army there, while purchasing the gas from Kuwait for as low as 15 cents a gallon???but I digress..
Few FACTOIDS for consideration:
Israel gets one sixth of the total US foreign aid package.
A Conservative Total for U.S. Aid to Israel: $91 Billionâand Counting
The common figure given for U.S. aid to Israel is $3 billion per yearâ$1.2 billion in economic aid and $1.8 billion in military aid. As impressive as this figure is, however, since it represents about one-sixth of total U.S. foreign aid, the true figure is even more remarkable. It is difficult, however, to.....
http://www.washington-report.org/backissues/010201/0101015.html
Has anyone here cared to look into the 87billion "Iraq war" additional request that GW asked and got? Check out how much of that went to Israel...do your own search
I've made a number of posts about Israel. As Aphie and others mentioned above, and as I also many times stated (see Nitro's thread) Israel is just a surrogate state of ours to control the affairs of middle, Their location is critical as a proximity to the vast oil reserves down there. Plus it keeps the war machine active to boot.
They are just pawns for the most part and serve their purpose both sides down there.
As i said before I have mixed feeling about our "friendship" with Israel.
"""""""""Israel being there? I got mixed fillings about it on it's location settlements, border disputes, UN resolution violations etc.... long list.
If we "like" Israelis so much, settle them here in Lower Manhattan

Or better yet somewhere in our vacant expanses within the states.

The can work here and contribute to our society instead of my tax dollars going to support them down there.

But I digress"""""""
http://www.elitetrader.com/vb/showt...84263&highlight=Israel+AND+society#post384263
Copernicus, good thread.