No wonder we dont have any money to secure OUR boarders

[Blown 472]

Cut US aid to Israel
06.18.07, 08:31 / Israel Opinion
Israel can gain much by doing away with America's financial assistance
Roni Bart
Unless developments in Gaza overshadow all the planned agenda for the summit meeting, Prime Minister Olmert and President Bush are set to discuss Tuesday, inter alia, Israel's request to increase American financial aid. A few months ago, Israel submitted a request to raise the annual sum over 10 years by 25 percent, from $2.4 billion to $3 billion. If implemented, this would reverse the course initiated by Prime Minister Netanyahu a decade ago, which gradually reduced American annual assistance by 20 percent, from $3 billion to $2.4. Doing so would be a mistak
The underlying rationale for the Israeli request is to take advantage of the final two years of the firmly pro-Israel Bush Administration. Israel's main reasons for increased aid are fairly obvious: financial need for multiplying security threats, and reinforcing a powerful public symbol of American support. On the other hand, there are four reasons to continue the process of decreasing aid, perhaps leading to eventual elimination of it.
First, since 1976, Israel has been the largest annual recipient of US foreign assistance. In the past 55 years, Israel has received more than $84 billion in grants alone. Annual American aid to Israel per capita is more than $340, which is by far the highest in the world. Average global aid per capita is only $22! This comparison becomes all the more glaring, given that according to various indices Israel is ranked 27th or 37th on the "rich scale."
From a moral point of view, Israel's place at the top of the list of aid recipients, ahead of all poor and sick and malnourished Third World countries, is, to say the least, problematic. Furthermore, this is, or should be, also a matter of national honor. It was only a generation ago that the goal of "economic independence" was still mentioned in Israel, if only as a distant aspiration. The process initiated by Netanyahu inched Israel toward that goal; freezing the process, let alone reversing it, means forsaking the dream.
Diplomatic drawback
Economic independence highlights a second reason for decreasing aid. Israel's financial dependence on the United States is a diplomatic drawback. True, this leverage has not been used by the United States since the 1956 brutal American pressure to withdraw from the Sinai Peninsula, but that is only because there is no need for anything explicit to be said.
The American leverage over Israel, inter alia due to financial dependency, is manifested by the ever-present question: "What will the United States say?" True, even if Israel were economically independent, it would still depend on crucial American support in other areas (technology, diplomacy.) That, however, does not negate the importance of diminishing Israel's dependence on the United States as much as possible.
A third reason for decreasing aid is maintaining long-term political support in the United States. At some point, despite - or perhaps because of - the influence of the pro-Israeli lobby, Americans will grow weary of the burden. It is already possible to detect potential warning signs. In 2003, against the wishes of the pro-Israeli lobby, Congress included aid to Israel in an across-the-board cut in all foreign aid. And in 2005, both the Administration and Congress cold-shouldered an Israeli request for extra assistance to offset the costs of the disengagement from Gaza.
Remaining effortlessly at the top of the list of aid recipients far into the future should not be taken for granted. Important voices calling to engage more seriously in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict (a euphemism for pressuring Israel) indicate growing willingness to acknowledge that Israel is not only a "strategic asset" but also a diplomatic liability. It would do well for Israel to limit the negative aspects of its image to this problem, without being regarded an eternal financial burden as well.
Aid only 4 percent of Israel's budget
Furthermore, if at some point for some reason the United States would wish to decrease aid, it is important that Israel preempts this by initiating the process itself. As mentioned above, aid to Israel is a powerful public symbol of American support. Any American-initiated decrease, even for purely budgetary reasons, would be perceived as weakening support. Not so if the initiative is Israel's, as proven by the Netanyahu process.
A fourth and final reason for decreasing aid is the economic advantage this step will bring. American aid comes with strings, some of which shackles the Israeli defense industry. Decreasing or eliminating American aid will help this sector in four ways. One, the IDF will buy more in Israel, investing in the local economy. Two, purchases by the IDF bolster the reputation of Israeli firms and thus their sales. Three, Israel's defense exports will be at least partly unshackled by American restrictions. Four, paying with Israeli money for procurement in the United States will increase the volume of reciprocal purchases by American firms in Israel.
Furthermore, from a purely economic angle, Israeli shekels will not have to compensate for 100 percent of vanishing dollars. According to some experts, between $250 million and $500 million could be saved by extricating Israeli procurement from American restrictions, mainly from the obligation to buy American products that are sometimes more expensive than equivalent items manufactured elsewhere.
Israel's military needs are many and expensive, and the United States is generous. However, American aid amounts to only 4 percent of Israel's annual budget. Israel can and should change its budgetary priorities in order to gradually decrease American aid. Instead of asking for a 25 percent increase over 10 years, Israel should suggest a weaning process: a 100 percent decrease over 25 years.
The writer is a research associate at the Institute for National Security Studies in Tel Aviv

[HighRoller]

Blown, could you take a break from Jew bashing long enough to comment on the TRILLION DOLLARS we spend each year on worthless social programs right here at home? If you're looking for a reason why we're in debt it seems a good place to start. No, it won't satisfy your Hitler-esque agenda but it would be interesting nonetheless....
Secondly, we already have laws that were passed LAST YEAR to BUILD A FENCE ON THE BORDER!!! When will that happen???

[Blown 472]

Blown, could you take a break from Jew bashing long enough to comment on the TRILLION DOLLARS we spend each year on worthless social programs right here at home? If you're looking for a reason why we're in debt it seems a good place to start. No, it won't satisfy your Hitler-esque agenda but it would be interesting nonetheless....
Secondly, we already have laws that were passed LAST YEAR to BUILD A FENCE ON THE BORDER!!! When will that happen???
Hitler-esque?? now that is funny.

[HighRoller]

Blown=Anti Jew
Hitler=Anti Jew
Nuff said

[Blown 472]

Blown=Anti Jew
Hitler=Anti Jew
Nuff said
Because I question why we send 3 billion a year to them that makes me anti jew??
Boy you are such a sheep.

[HighRoller]

3 billion is chicken feed in our budget. We spend a billion every EIGHT MINUTES in this country just to keep it running. But you never comment on the 1000 billion we spend to feed and clothe worthless derelicts when we could be upgrading our highways, schools and military. Strange how an agenda tends to make you have tunnel vision.

[Blown 472]

3 billion is chicken feed in our budget. We spend a billion every EIGHT MINUTES in this country just to keep it running. But you never comment on the 1000 billion we spend to feed and clothe worthless derelicts when we could be upgrading our highways, schools and military. Strange how an agenda tends to make you have tunnel vision.
Well dear boy, I have commented on that before.:rolleyes:

[Steve 1]

Simple; Just use the 30 Billion they are giving Africa.

[QuickJet]

Blown, could you take a break from Jew bashing long enough to comment on the TRILLION DOLLARS we spend each year on worthless social programs right here at home? If you're looking for a reason why we're in debt it seems a good place to start. No, it won't satisfy your Hitler-esque agenda but it would be interesting nonetheless....
Secondly, we already have laws that were passed LAST YEAR to BUILD A FENCE ON THE BORDER!!! When will that happen???
So you would rather send billions to a foreign country then spend it here on our own neady???
I'm not one for big government or social programs, but isn't foreign aid to Israel the biggest "Social Program" in American history?

[wsuwrhr]

3 billion is chicken feed in our budget. We spend a billion every EIGHT MINUTES in this country just to keep it running. But you never comment on the 1000 billion we spend to feed and clothe worthless derelicts when we could be upgrading our highways, schools and military. Strange how an agenda tends to make you have tunnel vision.
I wouldn't mind if they return my portion of that "chicken feed" and not ask for it again.
Brian

[Kachina26]

Well dear boy, I have cut-n-pasted on that before.:rolleyes:
Fixed it for ya!

[Blown 472]

Fixed it for ya!
Boy howdy, you sure am tricky, your daddy musta called you son cuz you sure am a bright one.

[Forkin' Crazy]

Simple; Just use the 30 Billion they are giving Africa.
I'll agree with that. Plus if we could get those worthless Washington bureaucrats to actually DO SOMETING for the money that we pay them, and pay them, and even after they are dead, we pay them!!!!:mad: :mad: :mad:

[SmokinLowriderSS]

Yep blown, I'm back.
It's been a long month fighting a screwed up ***boats computer system.
Your right to post stupidity still exists, your freedon to do it without repercussion does not. :D
Why have only a few miles of south border fence been built blown?
Because CONGRESS, after passing a law the people demanded, authorizing a fence, HAVE SO FAR REFUSED TO FUND THE CONSTRUCTION.
What is the expected cost of that fence blown?
How much is spent on welfare here in the US for the sick/lame/LAZY?

[Blown 472]

Yep blown, I'm back.
It's been a long month fighting a screwed up ***boats computer system.
Your right to post stupidity still exists, your freedon to do it without repercussion does not. :D
Why have only a few miles of south border fence been built blown?
Because CONGRESS, after passing a law the people demanded, authorizing a fence, HAVE SO FAR REFUSED TO FUND THE CONSTRUCTION.
What is the expected cost of that fence blown?
How much is spent on welfare here in the US for the sick/lame/LAZY?
Welcome back dipshit.

[Van Nuys]

I don't know you so I'll give you a pass this time and assume that you're a shit-stirrer rather than an anti-semite. I also guess you're a not very smart shit-stirrer because you're advocating stopping financial support to Israel which is about the only country in the entire world that thinks and believes like we do and has a democracy which just happens to be in the middle of the most hate-filled place on the earth.
Saving money by not supporting Israel is about the dumbest thing an American could suggest. So while you may not be an anti-semite you certainly are lacking intellect. And history has shown that dumbasses are the first to join the anti-semite crowd.

[Glamasu]

I don't know you so I'll give you a pass this time and assume that you're a shit-stirrer rather than an anti-semite. I also guess you're a not very smart shit-stirrer because you're advocating stopping financial support to Israel which is about the only country in the entire world that thinks and believes like we do and has a democracy which just happens to be in the middle of the most hate-filled place on the earth.
Saving money by not supporting Israel is about the dumbest thing an American could suggest. So while you may not be an anti-semite you certainly are lacking intellect. And history has shown that dumbasses are the first to join the anti-semite crowd.
Alright...Educate me.....
We spend in the middle east and several other parts of the world to bail these people/countries out....Who is gonna bail me out when my taxes are so high that it affects my quality of life?....Are you?...Maybe i'm missing a bigger part of the picture here so enlighten me.

[Steve 1]

Alright...Educate me.....
We spend in the middle east and several other parts of the world to bail these people/countries out....Who is gonna bail me out when my taxes are so high that it affects my quality of life?....Are you?...Maybe i'm missing a bigger part of the picture here so enlighten me.
Last I heard we were giving Money to the Saudis also.

[Blown 472]

I don't know you so I'll give you a pass this time and assume that you're a shit-stirrer rather than an anti-semite. I also guess you're a not very smart shit-stirrer because you're advocating stopping financial support to Israel which is about the only country in the entire world that thinks and believes like we do and has a democracy which just happens to be in the middle of the most hate-filled place on the earth.
Saving money by not supporting Israel is about the dumbest thing an American could suggest. So while you may not be an anti-semite you certainly are lacking intellect. And history has shown that dumbasses are the first to join the anti-semite crowd.
Since you are sooooo dang smart, could you tell me what ethnic back ground the bolshivks where?

[ULTRA26 # 1]

Yep blown, I'm back.
It's been a long month fighting a screwed up ***boats computer system.
Your right to post stupidity still exists, your freedon to do it without repercussion does not. :D
Why have only a few miles of south border fence been built blown?
Because CONGRESS, after passing a law the people demanded, authorizing a fence, HAVE SO FAR REFUSED TO FUND THE CONSTRUCTION.
What is the expected cost of that fence blown?
How much is spent on welfare here in the US for the sick/lame/LAZY?
So tell us sorcerer, do we spend to much on the sick and lame?

[Van Nuys]

Since you are sooooo dang smart, could you tell me what ethnic back ground the bolshivks where?
What's your point Blown? Simply asking me this question implies that you're making the claim that Jews were prominent in the Bolshevik movement.
Make your point Blown. You won't get me to fuel your anti-semitism nor will I participate in a debate with you because of your anti-semitic beliefs.
You probably won't want to read this: http://www.holocaust-history.org/bolshevik-canard/

[Blown 472]

What's your point Blown? Simply asking me this question implies that you're making the claim that Jews were prominent in the Bolshevik movement.
Make your point Blown. You won't get me to fuel your anti-semitism nor will I participate in a debate with you because of your anti-semitic beliefs.
You probably won't want to read this: http://www.holocaust-history.org/bolshevik-canard/
typical, run along lil boy.

[Old Texan]

What's your point Blown? Simply asking me this question implies that you're making the claim that Jews were prominent in the Bolshevik movement.
Make your point Blown. You won't get me to fuel your anti-semitism nor will I participate in a debate with you because of your anti-semitic beliefs.
You probably won't want to read this: http://www.holocaust-history.org/bolshevik-canard/
Please understand that Blown has been miffed for years because he always has to pay retail cause his Jewish buddies won't cut him in any wholesale jewelery / furniture deals.....That or the lil' Jewish neighbor girl Lucy always pulled the football away when he was practicing his field goals.:devil:
Of course this is only my assumption as he has refused to express the roots of his Jewish hatred. We can only speculate.......:confused:

[Blown 472]

Please understand that Blown has been miffed for years because he always has to pay retail cause his Jewish buddies won't cut him in any wholesale jewelery / furniture deals.....That or the lil' Jewish neighbor girl Lucy always pulled the football away when he was practicing his field goals.:devil:
Of course this is only my assumption as he has refused to express the roots of his Jewish hatred. We can only speculate.......:confused:
Hello.......... zionist hatred, please get it right.

[Old Texan]

Hello.......... zionist hatred, please get it right.
Right.....I keep forgetting. So does that mean Lucy and her creator, Charles Schultz were Zionists????????:D

[Steve 1]

Hamas Co-Founder Mahmoud Zahar says American aid for the Palestinian people has had an unintended consequence — the subsidizing of weapons for his organization.
Zahar tells Spiegel Online — "There are naturally very many weapons around now. Two years ago, one bullet in Gaza cost around 3.5 Euros — about $4.70 — now it would cost 35 cents. The American aid money has been translated into weapons. Thank you, America."

[eliminatedsprinter]

Because I question why we send 3 billion a year to them that makes me anti jew??
Boy you are such a sheep.
You are joking right?:rolleyes: :D
You have a large body of work here, that more than establishes your anti jewish creds....:)

[eliminatedsprinter]

Hello.......... zionist hatred, please get it right.
That, right there, is funny...:D :D :D :)
Every anti-semite in history, including Hitler himself, claimed to be "anti zionist".
Besides Blown, you have slipped up and used the word "Jews" instead of "Zionists" many times, in many unreasonably negitive contexts, so that cat has been out of the bag for a very long time here.

[Blown 472]

That, right there, is funny...:D :D :D :)
Every anti-semite in history, including Hitler himself, claimed to be "anti zionist".
Besides Blown, you have slipped up and used the word "Jews" instead of "Zionists" many times, in many unreasonably negitive contexts, so that cat has been out of the bag for a very long time here.
Oh well

[eliminatedsprinter]

Oh well
Don't take it too hard.:rolleyes: ;)

[SmokinLowriderSS]

So tell us sorcerer, do we spend to much on the sick and lame?
Nice of you to ignore the LAZY we spend to o damn much on.

[ULTRA26 # 1]

Nice of you to ignore the LAZY we spend to o damn much on.
Nice of you to include the sick and lame. Come on Smokin you can do better.

[eliminatedsprinter]

I've never understood why so many people think the government is the only organization that can take care of "the sick and the lame".
I understand the rational, it just doesn't hold water when it is thought all the way through.....I'd be willing to bet that it could even be profitable to do a better job of it, at a far lower cost to society, if the government would just get out of the way.....

[ULTRA26 # 1]

I've never understood why so many people think the government is the only organization that can take care of "the sick and the lame".
I understand the rational, it just doesn't hold water when it is thought all the way through.....I'd be willing to bet that it could even be profitable to do a better job of it, at a far lower cost to society, if the government would just get out of the way.....
You are probabally right.

[Old Texan]

I've never understood why so many people think the government is the only organization that can take care of "the sick and the lame".
I understand the rational, it just doesn't hold water when it is thought all the way through.....I'd be willing to bet that it could even be profitable to do a better job of it, at a far lower cost to society, if the government would just get out of the way.....
Everyone please sit down before reading this as it contains a revelation I would have never thought could come from my lips.
Last night on Leno the guest was Mikey Moore. As anyone that reads this forum knows, I hate the air Mikey breathes. He was talking up his new movie "Sicko". As I prepared my epitaths of "bash the slob", he actually came on quite mellow and serious in his discussion on the subject. He didn't bash anyone particularly and said the healthcare issue was something both parties needed to bury the hatchet on and make something work for the people.
He even stated his disappointment in Hillary's plan and how she had made things too political with the issue. I was actually a bit impressed with his views and points.
At this ppint they went to commercial and I switched off so don't know if he came back and reverted to his typical overbearing self. But from what I heard he actually brought some content to the table backed by some very good points.
Now if we could just get the DC crew to understand what Mikey seems to understand, we'd maybe be able to pull healthcare and other issues together. Hell if I can agree somewhat with Mikey Moore, our paid Pols ought to be able to do something along those lines, you'd think? But maybe that's to much to expect all at once from lifetime "fools"....:idea:

[eliminatedsprinter]

Everyone please sit down before reading this as it contains a revelation I would have never thought could come from my lips.
Last night on Leno the guest was Mikey Moore. As anyone that reads this forum knows, I hate the air Mikey breathes. He was talking up his new movie "Sicko". As I prepared my epitaths of "bash the slob", he actually came on quite mellow and serious in his discussion on the subject. He didn't bash anyone particularly and said the healthcare issue was something both parties needed to bury the hatchet on and make something work for the people.
He even stated his disappointment in Hillary's plan and how she had made things too political with the issue. I was actually a bit impressed with his views and points.
At this ppint they went to commercial and I switched off so don't know if he came back and reverted to his typical overbearing self. But from what I heard he actually brought some content to the table backed by some very good points.
Now if we could just get the DC crew to understand what Mikey seems to understand, we'd maybe be able to pull healthcare and other issues together. Hell if I can agree somewhat with Mikey Moore, our paid Pols ought to be able to do something along those lines, you'd think? But maybe that's to much to expect all at once from lifetime "fools"....:idea:
No discussion on the high cost of health care can be valid without addressing the negitive effect that the alphabet soup of "accrediting" organizations and the racket they run (JACOH, CARF, HIPPA, etc). The time and money hospitals spend chasing their tails trying to please these groups is absolutly astounding. For some reason, whenever I see a political debate or discussion on the subject of healthcare I never see or hear them even mentioned. This tells me that our "national debate on healthcare" is not serious and is nothing but a bunch of phoney political rhetoric.

[ULTRA26 # 1]

Everyone please sit down before reading this as it contains a revelation I would have never thought could come from my lips.
Last night on Leno the guest was Mikey Moore. As anyone that reads this forum knows, I hate the air Mikey breathes. He was talking up his new movie "Sicko". As I prepared my epitaths of "bash the slob", he actually came on quite mellow and serious in his discussion on the subject. He didn't bash anyone particularly and said the healthcare issue was something both parties needed to bury the hatchet on and make something work for the people.
He even stated his disappointment in Hillary's plan and how she had made things too political with the issue. I was actually a bit impressed with his views and points.
At this ppint they went to commercial and I switched off so don't know if he came back and reverted to his typical overbearing self. But from what I heard he actually brought some content to the table backed by some very good points.
Now if we could just get the DC crew to understand what Mikey seems to understand, we'd maybe be able to pull healthcare and other issues together. Hell if I can agree somewhat with Mikey Moore, our paid Pols ought to be able to do something along those lines, you'd think? But maybe that's to much to expect all at once from lifetime "fools"....:idea:
Tex,
I've actually seem MM twice recently and he seems like a different guy. Centered and seemingly with good intentions and points. It is hard to believe.

[Old Texan]

Tex,
I've actually seem MM twice recently and he seems like a different guy. Centered and seemingly with good intentions and points. It is hard to believe.
The end is drawing near.......:2purples: :D

[ULTRA26 # 1]

The end is drawing near.......:2purples: :D
Could be. OH NO MR BILL:D :D
Leaving for ID in about an hour. Talk to you in a couple of weeks

[SmokinLowriderSS]

Wait till you see his movie, and get a load of his microsoft video editor talents blasting the pharmceutical industry, which he (lying) claims to own no stock in.
Mikey has been successful in his own mind with his fellow anti-establishment socialists so far, he will not change as long as that does not.
Yet another sociopathic personality.