If Americans Knew - U.S. Aid & the Israel/Palestine Conflict

[RND]

If Americans Knew

U.S. Aid and the Israel/Palestine Conflict

“Since the October War in 1973, Washington has provided Israel with a level of support dwarfing the amounts provided to any other state. It has been the largest annual recipient of direct U.S. economic and military assistance since 1976 and the largest total recipient since World War ll. Total direct U.S. aid to Israel amounts to well over $140 billion in 2003 dollars. Israel receives about $3 billion in direct foreign assistance each year, which is roughly one-fifth of America's entire foreign aid budget. In per capita terms, the United States gives each Israeli a direct subsidy worth about $500 per year. This largesse is especially striking when one realizes that Israel is now a wealthy industrial state with a per capita income roughly equal to South Korea or Spain.”

- John J. Mearsheimer and Stephen M. Walt
"The Israel Lobby and U.S. Foreign Policy"

[kaufmannphillips]

So?

[RND]

So?

Yes, that right. I'd expect such a response from most.

[Paidion]

What minority response do you expect, and why?

[RND]

What minority response do you expect, and why?

I would expect a "balanced" response from those that see such a huge disparity in spending policy for one country over another to be shortsighted. Is it any wonder why the US is so despised around the world? "They hate us for our freedoms?" Hardly.

They hate us because of the huge duplicity we engage in on a regular and constant basis.

[TK]

why should the US have to apologize to anybody? we dont have to give anything to anybody; so why should some complain that we give more to some than others? reminds me of the parable of the workers in the vineyard (Mt 20).

TK

[kaufmannphillips]

RND wrote:
I would expect a "balanced" response from those that see such a huge disparity in spending policy for one country over another to be shortsighted. Is it any wonder why the US is so despised around the world? "They hate us for our freedoms?" Hardly.

They hate us because of the huge duplicity we engage in on a regular and constant basis.

So, then - when you give to charity, RND, do you donate to every party equally? Or do you favor some parties over others?

When you invest, do you divide your money into every business concern equally? Or do you favor some business concerns over others?

When you purchase landscaping materials, do you patronize every supplier equally? Or do you favor certain suppliers over others?

When you buy Girl Scout cookies, do you buy a comparable number of boxes from every scout in San Bernardino County? Or do you favor certain individuals over others?

[RND]

why should the US have to apologize to anybody?

For not living up to it's creed expressed by the founding fathers of not engaging in the business of the world? That approach would have prevented things like the CIA nurturing and training up people like Saddam Hussein for 30 years only to abandon them once they have sucked them dry and gotten all they wanted out of them.

You don't think that's something to apologize for?

we dont have to give anything to anybody;

That's true.

so why should some complain that we give more to some than others?

Um, aren't we the one's that are supposedly a "Christian" nation? If we're gonna whip out that moniker then the least we could do is act like it.

reminds me of the parable of the workers in the vineyard (Mt 20).

Not me. Besides, who's position would you put the US in?

[RND]

So, then - when you give to charity, RND, do you donate to every party equally? Or do you favor some parties over others

I favor one over the other. Are you suggesting the government isn't spending my money?

When you invest, do you divide your money into every business concern equally? Or do you favor some business concerns over others?

I favor one over the other. Are you suggesting the government isn't spending my money?

When you purchase landscaping materials, do you patronize every supplier equally? Or do you favor certain suppliers over others?

I favor one over the other. Are you suggesting the government isn't spending my money?

When you buy Girl Scout cookies, do you buy a comparable number of boxes from every scout in San Bernardino County? Or do you favor certain individuals over others?

I only buy Thin Mints and I favor one over the other. Are you suggesting the government isn't spending my money?

Look, KP, I see your point. But just as a judge is supposed to be impartial the government is supposed to be as well. This has been a standard "creed" of this country since it's inception. The fact that it has never lived up to this "creed" is neither unexpected nor shocking to me. Whenever governments are run where God is never called upon then predictable results will follow.

Using your logic KP if government decided one day to eliminate all the blondes in the country they should be allowed to because, well, it's the government. In using that logic then it's government's decision so then there really shouldn't have been any uproar when the Germans were busy exterminating various religious and ethnic groups like Jews, Seventh-day Adventist's (some of the first to go!) and gypsies because, well, it's government and they know best.

Someone has to stand in the gap and ask for a little fairness. I have no problem taking the rotten tomatoes. It's expected. I have no problem having people think I don't like Israel because I'm asking for a little fairness. It's expected.

[Paidion]

Look, KP, I see your point. But just as a judge is supposed to be impartial the government is supposed to be as well. This has been a standard "creed" of this country since it's inception

.

Another "creed" of Christendom is to support the underdog. Without U.S. support, Israel's enemies would have completely destroyed it by now. Many of its enemies have that as their express,foremost purpose.