In 410-4 Vote, House Approves Millions in Extra Funding for Israel’s Missile Def

[Ponce]

In 410-4 Vote, House Approves Millions in Extra Funding for Israel’s Missile Defense
$205 Million in Addition to Billions in Military Aid Already Provided
by Jason Ditz, May 20, 2010



Despite moving at a snail’s pace on most policy decisions, the Obama Administration was still able to muster surprising alacrity when it came down to providing Israel with additional money.

So exactly one week after President Obama decided that the US should provide Israel with an extra $205 million in military aid to pay for its “Iron Dome” missile defense system, the House of Representatives passed the measure, with a 410-4 margin.

The first phase of development, test runs, and manufacture of the system is expected to cost NIS 800 million, meaning the US funding will pay for materially all of this phase. The $205 million is above and beyond the roughly $3 billion in military aid the US sends to Israel annually.

House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Howard Berman said the vote was vital, citing “the looming threat of a nuclear-armed Iran.” Of course it could be pointed out yet again that America’s own National Intelligence Estimate shows Iran having no such program, but in this case it doesn’t even matter.

The Iron Dome system is intended for “very short range” rocket fire, primarily the intermittent rockets from the Gaza Strip that hit open fields in southern Israel, and would be completely useless against any missile from as far away as Iran, nuclear or otherwise.

In fact, this was one of the major reasons Israel was seeking the money, as many questioned the wisdom of spending $50,000 per missile to shoot down commodity rockets that cost only a few hundreds dollars apiece, and the Israeli military declined to include the project in its own budget.

The four Representatives voting against the resolution were John Conyers (D – MI), Dennis Kucinich (D – OH), Ron Paul (R – TX), and Pete Stark (D – CA).

http://news.antiwar.com/2010/05/20/in-410-4-vote-house-approves-millions-in-extra-funding-for-israels-iron-dome/

[k-os]

Why would we give any other country money for weapons? Why would we just give billions of dollars to help another country with their defense? It makes no sense.

Does anyone give us money so that we can buy weapons?

[Ponce]

The Zionist Jews controls our government so that in reality they are giving themselves all this money..........and more that we don't know about.

[cigarlover]

Its only 200 million. Not like its a lot of money or anything. :oo-->

[k-os]

Its only 200 million. Not like its a lot of money or anything. :oo-->


I know you're kidding but . . . from the article:


The $205 million is above and beyond the roughly $3 billion in military aid the US sends to Israel annually.

I just don't understand how anyone can justify giving money (much less for the purpose of supplying arms) to another country when ours is beyond broke.

[k-os]

The Zionist Jews controls our government so that in reality they are giving themselves all this money..........and more that we don't know about.


I get that, but how do they justify it when they are voting?

[cigarlover]

I ask the same questions K. Drives me crazy. We are probably the poorest nation on earth yet we don't know it yet. We have a level of debt and entitlements never before seen in the history of the world yet we give money away like its water. The only thing I can think is that they all know its never going to be paid back so they don't really care. My guess is they have received little to no opposition to this from their constituents either.

[k-os]

There is a part of me that believes that politicians feel responsible for Israel because it's their child. They played a part in it's creation and now they're responsible for it. Maybe?

Or, is it because we need that oil, and Israel is our only ally in the middle east?

[cigarlover]

I think its the latter. The only logical conclusion I could come up with as well. Strategically they are a great ally over there and it creates the illusion of fear for the rest of the ME. Screw with our ally and you screw with US.

[k-os]

I think its the latter. The only logical conclusion I could come up with as well. Strategically they are a great ally over there and it creates the illusion of fear for the rest of the ME. Screw with our ally and you screw with US.


I can understand that, but that idea has blown up in our face a few times, and at least once in the same damn region. It's only a matter of time before Israel is using those weapons against us, or selling them to our enemies.

[ximmy]

I think its the latter. The only logical conclusion I could come up with as well. Strategically they are a great ally over there and it creates the illusion of fear for the rest of the ME. Screw with our ally and you screw with US.


I can understand that, but that idea has blown up in our face a few times, and at least once in the same damn region. It's only a matter of time before Israel is using those weapons against us, or selling them to our enemies.


They need to re-stockpile after blowing Lebanon to bits in 2006.

[Book]

I can understand that, but that idea has blown up in our face a few times, and at least once in the same damn region. It's only a matter of time before Israel is using those weapons against us, or selling them to our enemies.



Must you post your anti-joo hatred in every thread k-os?

:D

[k-os]

I can understand that, but that idea has blown up in our face a few times, and at least once in the same damn region. It's only a matter of time before Israel is using those weapons against us, or selling them to our enemies.



Must you post your anti-joo hatred in every thread k-os?

:D




You know I don't. And besides, it is relevant in this thread. (Relevancy IS the issue in the Stormfront II thread). And another besides, I don't care what country we are talking about, I don't want to give them money for their weapons. It never works out well in the long run.

[Awoke]

Why would we give any other country money for weapons? Why would we just give billions of dollars to help another country with their defense? It makes no sense.

Does anyone give us money so that we can buy weapons?


You need to read "The Israel Lobby" if you haven't already.

It is not an anti-semetic "joo-bashing" book. It is a factual study on the favoritism that the US plays towards Israel, and a quantified summary of the funds that are (repeatedly) handed over to them.

Mind-numbing, and very repetative, but amazing and provable.

[Book]

You know I don't.



You know I don't either. Have a cookie (http://gold-silver.us/forum/cooking/mom%27s-sugar-cookie-recipe/msg46491/#msg46491).

|--0--|

[Ponce]

With friends like them who the hell needs enemies?.........they will be our "friends" only of as long as we give them money and protection.........their next friends? China.

As far as "them" selling our weapons to other nations? they already have, to China, and they were used against one of our recognisance planes.

[k-os]

You need to read "The Israel Lobby" if you haven't already.

It is not an anti-semetic "joo-bashing" book. It is a factual study on the favoritism that the US plays towards Israel, and a quantified summary of the funds that are (repeatedly) handed over to them.

Mind-numbing, and very repetative, but amazing and provable.


Thank you for this recommendation and that you didn't talk down to me while doing so. Because of this, I will read it.

[Book]

As far as "them" selling our weapons to other nations? they already have, to China, and they were used against one of our recognisance planes.




ISRAEL SELLS ARMS TO CHINA, U.S. SAYS

By MICHAEL R. GORDON,

Published: October 13, 1993

WASHINGTON, Oct. 12— Israel has sold advanced military technology to China for more than a decade and is moving to expand its cooperation with Beijing, says R. James Woolsey, the Director of Central Intelligence.

The C.I.A. assessment was provided in written responses to questions by the Senate Governmental Affairs Committee. The committee made the assessment public last week as part of a report on recent hearings it conducted on "proliferation threats of the 1990's," a committee aide said on Monday.

There have been many news reports about the sale of Israeli military technology to China, which did not establish diplomatic relations with Israel until 1992, and the Rand Corporation has made similar assessments. The C.I.A.'s response to the committee was reported on Monday by NBC News and confirmed by the aide. Jets, Missiles and Tanks

The C.I.A. says China has been acquiring advanced military technology from Israel for more than a decade on programs for jet fighters, air-to-air missiles and tanks. The agency said the sale of Israeli military technology to China "may be several billion dollars."

Despite the previous reports, the bluntness of the C.I.A. assessment surprised Congressional specialists and appears to reflect a growing concern among American intelligence experts that China is seeking to use Israel to obtain the sort of advanced military technology that the United States and other Western nations have refused to sell to Beijing.

China's acquisition of military technology -- and re-export to Pakistan, Iran and other countries -- is a major challenge to Western efforts to stem the spread of dangerous weapons.

Explaining its assessment, the agency noted that Beijing and Tel Aviv recently signed an agreement to cooperate in sharing technology in a number of areas, including electronics and space. Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin of Israel was visiting China today to discuss the broadening of ties. Israelis Open Offices in China

In addition, an increasing number of Israeli military companies have opened offices in China to sell their products.

The agency's assessment is likely to provoke calls by members of Congress for greater scrutiny of the sale of American military technology to Israel.

Ruth Yaron, a spokeswoman at the Israeli Embassy, said today that Israel had not transferred American military technology to China. "Israel adheres to all of its commitments to the United States with regard to its relationship with China," she said.

An Israeli diplomat, who spoke on condition of anonymity, noted that the four-paragraph C.I.A. statement to the committee did not say the Israelis had been re-exporting American technology.

http://www.nytimes.com/1993/10/13/world/israel-sells-arms-to-china-us-says.html

[k-os]

Wow!

[gunDriller]

Why would we give any other country money for weapons? Why would we just give billions of dollars to help another country with their defense? It makes no sense.

Does anyone give us money so that we can buy weapons?


i've worked at 2 defense contractors that had contracts with Israel. one made uninterruptible power supplies that were used on the electronics bench of a US Navy ship's electronics lab. another made radios for F-22 & JSF.

it is a very lucrative business for almost everyone involved.

a lot of the money that the US gives to Israel is given subject to the condition that it be spent on American military hardware. so the defense contractors are crawling with Israel-supporters.

in that environment, questioning the war on terror is not good for your career.

it is a fraud-ridden environment. i once was asked to solve a problem that involved protecting electronics from moisture. my solution cost in the range of $5 to $10 - and had a 50 year usage history.

what management wanted was a solution that cost $5 million - a re-design.

my disagreement with them over the matter resulted in some fairly spectacular arguments. it was amazing to see engineers-turned-managers grow red in the face when their authority was challenged by an engineer with a no-cost solution when they wanted it to be a $5 million solution.

the way the money works, they will pay an engineer $35 an hour plus benefits, then turn around and charge the government approximately 3 times that. the contractor makes money when the engineers rack up the hours.

no hours, no money. no profits. lower bonuses for the managers.

in that environment, the only thing that's worse than having a project go over budget is having one come under budget.

[k-os]

i've worked at 2 defense contractors that had contracts with Israel. one made uninterruptible power supplies that were used on the electronics bench of a US Navy ship's electronics lab. another made radios for F-22 & JSF.

it is a very lucrative business for almost everyone involved.

a lot of the money that the US gives to Israel is given subject to the condition that it be spent on American military hardware. so the defense contractors are crawling with Israel-supporters.



Sounds like money laundering.

My dad works on instrumentation in helicopters. The company he works for are masters of inefficiency, but it's not nearly as bad as you describe. I would have a very hard time holding my tongue in that environment.

[Large Sarge]

The Zionist Jews controls our government so that in reality they are giving themselves all this money..........and more that we don't know about.


I get that, but how do they justify it when they are voting?


DBS and Cynthia McKinney did a few interviews, its been awhile, perhaps 2+ years ago.

McKinney confirmed that every congress person (and senator)

does a formal paper to AIPAC (stating their deep feeling towards Israel, thoughts, etc)

They also sign a contract (sell their soul)

Thats from the horses mouth

You can look at any other topic/subject, and you will never see a vote as lopsided as Israel

410 - 4

The zionists would simply say the politicians are "earning their money"

walk into a room of 414 people, and get them to agree on a topic, you could not get that high of a percentage of folks to agree on the color of the sky.

[Apparition]

The Zionist whores are serving their masters again.

[Ponce]

This is the part that gets to me "Millions in Extra Funding for Israel’s Missile Defence"........all that they are doing is using all those weapons for offence..... and mostly against civilians.

[cigarlover]

I talked to a guy last week that worked as an engineer at a defense plant. He had a similar story. Lots of test equipment purchased, money no object.. Use it once or not at all and throw it aside for something else. These things cost 10k-30k each and money was never a problem.

[goldmonkey]

bump

[Libertytree]

I loathe and HATE my government!!! Funding all the BS they can for poor Isreal.....ASSHOLES!

[kregener]

Israel is our friend.

They spy on us constantly to make sure we are safe.

[Ponce]

And when they are found out they say "We are friends, why should you keep any secrets from us?"............LOLLLLLLLLLLl........by the way, they did say that.

[Neuro]

There is a part of me that believes that politicians feel responsible for Israel because it's their child. They played a part in it's creation and now they're responsible for it. Maybe?

Or, is it because we need that oil, and Israel is our only ally in the middle east?

I think it is more likely because of Israel owning all but 4 or so house representatives... They are good puppeteers!

[k-os]

There is a part of me that believes that politicians feel responsible for Israel because it's their child. They played a part in it's creation and now they're responsible for it. Maybe?

Or, is it because we need that oil, and Israel is our only ally in the middle east?

I think it is more likely because of Israel owning all but 4 or so house representatives... They are good puppeteers!


So you are saying that each of those individuals votes according to how Israel tells them to vote? I am asking earnestly . . . do you think that someone calls them and tells them how to vote, and that they care not one whit what their constituents think?

[sirgonzo420]

There is a part of me that believes that politicians feel responsible for Israel because it's their child. They played a part in it's creation and now they're responsible for it. Maybe?

Or, is it because we need that oil, and Israel is our only ally in the middle east?

I think it is more likely because of Israel owning all but 4 or so house representatives... They are good puppeteers!


So you are saying that each of those individuals votes according to how Israel tells them to vote? I am asking earnestly . . . do you think that someone calls them and tells them how to vote, and that they care not one whit what their constituents think?


In a nutshell, yes.

They are pretty much completely controlled.

Remember the big bank bailout that an OVERWHELMING majority of Americans were against?

They passed it anyway because "they know best" (and their masters told them to).

[k-os]

Thanks, sirgonzo420. I think I just realized why I like GSUS so much.

Here, I am one of the more optimistic and naive. In the real world, I think my friends would call me pragmatic at best and cynical at worst.

I have a very hard time understanding what motivates people to do "bad" things (like vote to give another country billions of dollars for their defense - to stay on topic). This inability makes it difficult for me to understand (and many times believe) a lot of conspiracies.

[Libertytree]

It's sad but true k-os, gonzo is spot on. Their voting records say it all and most of the time their votes are NOT in the favor of the people. If these representatives aren't evil then they are surely guilty of taking orders from evil. The word treason comes to mind.

[Awoke]

There is a part of me that believes that politicians feel responsible for Israel because it's their child. They played a part in it's creation and now they're responsible for it. Maybe?

Or, is it because we need that oil, and Israel is our only ally in the middle east?

I think it is more likely because of Israel owning all but 4 or so house representatives... They are good puppeteers!


So you are saying that each of those individuals votes according to how Israel tells them to vote? I am asking earnestly . . . do you think that someone calls them and tells them how to vote, and that they care not one whit what their constituents think?


It's a club mentality, and these people do not want to be black-balled by the club.

[JDRock]

Why would we give any other country money for weapons? Why would we just give billions of dollars to help another country with their defense? It makes no sense.

Does anyone give us money so that we can buy weapons?


It makes PERFECT sense actually... if you take in to account the long term goal of the aforementioned state.
They own/run;

The treasury

the irs

the armed services committee

the federal reserve

abc

cbs

nbc

all major motion picture companies

have control of the us nuclear force (via idf owned diebold)

vave a virtual stranglehold on the supreme court

whitehouse chief of staff (the gatekeeper to the pres)

the european union (sarkozy)

Russia (medvedev)

the catholic church ( kolvenbach)

the aclu

the splc


all this with less than 1 % of the worlds population...and this is only a partial list.

[sirgonzo420]

Thanks, sirgonzo420. I think I just realized why I like GSUS so much.

Here, I am one of the more optimistic and naive. In the real world, I think my friends would call me pragmatic at best and cynical at worst.

I have a very hard time understanding what motivates people to do "bad" things (like vote to give another country billions of dollars for their defense - to stay on topic). This inability makes it difficult for me to understand (and many times believe) a lot of conspiracies.


I think it boils down to there being two kinds of people in the world: those who want to be left alone, and those who want to control other people.

Naturally, the second variety (the controllers) are drawn to politics and other positions of power while the first variety (those who want to be left alone) just stick to themselves and try to live their own lives unmolested.

In short, the world is run by sociopathic assholes.

[Libertarian_Guard]

I can understand that, but that idea has blown up in our face a few times, and at least once in the same damn region. It's only a matter of time before Israel is using those weapons against us, or selling them to our enemies.



Must you post your anti-joo hatred in every thread k-os?

:D




Here we are again. Someone with an agenda attempting to spin anti-zionist comments into anti-jew comments. Sorry Book, but they are not the same, and you know it!

Better luck next time.

[k-os]

You need to read "The Israel Lobby" if you haven't already.

It is not an anti-semetic "joo-bashing" book. It is a factual study on the favoritism that the US plays towards Israel, and a quantified summary of the funds that are (repeatedly) handed over to them.

Mind-numbing, and very repetative, but amazing and provable.


I received this book in the mail over the weekend. Thanks again for the recommendation . . . and the tone in which you recommended it.

[Horn]

The timing of current events is too staged, they need to repeal this one immediately, along with Israel's military.