US taxpayers paid more to Israeli defense budget than Israelis

[bud]

if americans actually knew about this, i wonder how many of them would be okay with it.

The Israeli army's chief of staff states that in the past three years, "US taxpayers have contributed more to the Israeli defense budget than Israeli taxpayers," according to a report in the Jerusalem Post, a prominent Israeli newspaper.

American taxpayers give Israel over $3 billion per year (over $8 million per day), more than to any other nation, despite the fact that Israel is smaller than New Jersey and is in the top 30 richest countries in the world.

Per capita, Israelis receive $10,000 more U.S. tax money than average.

According to the Congressional Research Service, Israel is given this money in a lump sum at the beginning of the fiscal year. Americans then pay interest on money they have given to Israel, while Israel makes interest on it.

link

[Guest]

Good for them. It's wonderful that there are countries that are not afraid to spend a few bucks to help out a friend in need.

[bud]

welfare cheque, courtesy of the american people's credit card.

[bush_cheney2004]

The American taxpayer has provided billions upon billions of dollars in military, economic, and humanitarian aid to many nations in the world in pursuit of US interests. The very basis for a Mideast peace brokered between Israel, Egypt, and Jordan in 1979 required such aid. The Americans spend about $15 billion each year on foreign aid, not counting appropriations for wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Contrast current US foreign aid outlays with other great American adventures in spending:

• Marshall Plan: Cost: $12.7 billion, Inflation Adjusted Cost: $115.3 billion
  
• Louisiana Purchase: Cost: $15 million, Inflation Adjusted Cost: $217 billion
  
• Race to the Moon: Cost: $36.4 billion, Inflation Adjusted Cost: $237 billion
  
• S&L Crisis: Cost: $153 billion, Inflation Adjusted Cost: $256 billion
  
• Korean War: Cost: $54 billion, Inflation Adjusted Cost: $454 billion
  
• The New Deal: Cost: $32 billion (Est), Inflation Adjusted Cost: $500 billion (Est)
  
• Invasion of Iraq: Cost: $551b, Inflation Adjusted Cost: $597 billion
  
• Vietnam War: Cost: $111 billion, Inflation Adjusted Cost: $698 billion
  
• NASA: Cost: $416.7 billion, Inflation Adjusted Cost: $851.2 billion
  

[Guest American Woman]

welfare cheque, courtesy of the american people's credit card.

Good thing you're not an American, eh?

Edited October 27, 2012 by American Woman

[cybercoma]

Good thing you're not an American, eh?

Oh look... now that bush_cheney is back, you're talking like him again. How cute.

[bush_cheney2004]

Oh look... now that bush_cheney is back, you're talking like him again. How cute.

This is an example of an unnecessary and unwarranted provocation.

[Guest American Woman]

Oh look... now that bush_cheney is back, you're talking like him again. How cute.

Oh look .... now that bush_cheney is back, you're accusing me of being just like him again. How ignorant.

[cybercoma]

I'm accusing you of acting like him because you are acting like him.

[Guest American Woman]

I'm accusing you of acting like him because you are acting like him.

And I'm accusing you of being ignorant because .... well, you figure it out.

[cybercoma]

And I'm accusing you of being ignorant because .... well, you figure it out.

Because you're completely lacking self-awareness, but that's been pointed out to you time and again. I'm not really sure why, since pointing out to someone that they lack self-awareness is pretty futile, since they're not reflexive.

Edited October 27, 2012 by cybercoma

[Michael Hardner]

This verges on trolling or insults... let's get back to the point at hand maybe ?

[Mr.Canada]

This is great news! I thought it was much more. Just goes to show how well managed this money is. Well done Israel. Keep defending yourself while you can. If the NDP get in here in Canada you'll be enemy number one. The NDP has many anti Semites on it. Libby Davies is documented as such.

[Guest American Woman]

The money that the U.S. gives to Israel for security purposes serves the U.S. also, as the end result is a well armed strong ally in the Middle East.

[bleeding heart]

The money that the U.S. gives to Israel for security purposes serves the U.S. also, as the end result is a well armed strong ally in the Middle East.

Absolutely. It has nothing to do with "friends" or ideology. The US is not allied with Israel because of moral principles; nor is it because of the fabled power of The Scary Lobby. And if and when it is in the US interests to drop Israel like a hot potato, then that's what will happen. Similarly, if Israel ever determines that the US is not helpful, it will abandon its old ally in a heartbeat.

None of this should seem strange to anybody. Whether the alliance is ultimately practical and wise or not, I couldn't say. (No one could, except a fortune-teller, and as far as I know, no genuine ones exist.) But the intent is undoubtedly practical.