Why is Israel so important to Americans?

We give them money. We give them weapons. We cover for them in the UN and in Europe.

They give us????? NADA but trouble. We have better allies than Israel in the Middle East. For instance, Jordan does more for American interests than Israel by a lot.

the African Congo Republic and held dual citizenship in both countries, would there be any doubt as to why the Congo then seemed to receive a virtual blank check in military weapons, financial aid, and political cover for every manner of human rights violation?

politicians in DC have dual citizenship with Israel?

google, I suppose, to look up politicians with Israeli dual citizenship.

Don't piss on my leg and tell me it's raining.This 'example' was only intended (without having the guts to outright state it) that 50 or so US politicians are "dual citizens of the US and Israel". Put up or shut up.

For example see: http://www.beliefnet.com/Faiths/Christianity/2002/06/The-Rapture-Factor.aspx#

Our veterans has needs which has been overlooked by congress also. We need money to rebuild our infrastructure but it gets voted down. They cut finding to the food stamp program because the money is not there. They raise hell about border security but fail to find the needs. I wonder when is Israel going to repay some of the funding we have sent their way in order to feed our country.

Can't do anything about the problems we have right here in the US, where our tax dollars are being generated, but the second funding Israel comes up, suddenly there is money to burn.

keep those arms manufacturers rolling in our taxpayer cash which actually doubles what we seem to be unfettered in handing over to the thieves of Jerusalem. Has nothing to do with religion but everything to do with keeping up the facade of a need for war machines and warriors.

told when I was young. First off we were part of the team that worked to form the new homeland for Israel. It was in treaty form and we were one of the signers. Second there was the knowledge of the hell that the Jews had faced in WWII. We wanted to help. Finally there was the religious link between the Christian church and Judaism.

Those three ideas play a part in why many Americans think Israel is so important. It comes down to obligation, compassion and connections. The obligation to keep the promises to protect Israel, compassion for the victims of WWII and again a religious obligation to stand with our brothers in faith.

This is what the people I lived around from 1948 to about the 1970s believed. It is the only answer I can give to your question.

I remember thinking when Obama got elected that there were going to be a bunch of people trying to make the rapture come. Many of the things they scream about cone from their books.
Stressing the 'foreignness' of his name (the villain in the book was from Europe[socialism]), the death panels (there was a form of death panels in the series), fema camps (there was a version in the book), calling him the 'Antichrist', worrying that he is going to set up a new world order (happened in the books), 'he'll never leave office' accusation, and jesus comes back (i can't recall, but i think he went to Israel). Oh, and all the Jews that want to "be saved" convert to christianity. Terrible series.I was going to re read it but i decided to wait until he's gone from office. Apparently if we turn our backs on Israel god's going to turn his back on us.

It makes sense to have a strong ally in the middle east - at least until oil is not such a precious commodity.

Kuwait and Saudi Arabia are allies. And they actually have oil. Unlike Israel, who also has no US bases.

The oil embargo put in place by Saudi Arabia, against the US.....

The oil embargo was because the US armed Israel during a war with the Arabs.

Israel is no ally, they are the cause of our problems in the region.

How dare Israel defend themselves against an unprovoked attack. Clearly they are to blame for problems the US has in the Mideast. It has nothing to do with the coup we sponsored in Iran, our wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Our bases in Saudi Arabia. Our involvement during Lebanon. Or any of our other direct actions across those two continents.

What about it? That was before we had actual bases in SA. (Though the embargo was all of OPEC.) And it's not as though Israel has oil to give us or the ability to break an embargo.

What's your point? We weren't allies 40 years ago. Its like disagreeing with describing Germany as an ally by mentioning WWII.

as was shown earlier this week

That helps the US geopolitically how?

the post I replied to inferred no US military in Israel by stating no bases which is not true

Nor any soldiers. Which seems pretty accurate to me.

who guards the US embassy in Israel then?

You're clearly right.

are sovereign soil. So the US embassy is US soil. It is not considered a military base.

Exactly what do we get from the alliance? The one way alliance alienates us from the nations with oil. The one way alliance makes us hypocrites in dealing with the rest of the world.

Israel takes and takes from us and then disrespects us when we ask them for restraint.

if we did not actually export some of our domestic oil, if the US is beholden to any foreign power due to oil it would be-wait for it-Latin America or Canada

the Secretary of State and tell the US that they will "never second guess" them?

If that's an ally, I'd hate to see what a frenemy looks like.

Not to the average American and the reason is Money!!!! The Jewish Lobby is extremely generous in it's donations to members of our government! Israel also buy there weapons off the US therefore, funneling taxpayer dollars to the defense industry! My opinion only!

the Temple on the Mount....in order to signal the return of Jesus Christ because Jesus has to return and be the King of all Jews.....of course when Jesus does return (after destroying all the other religions not Judeo Christian natch) the Jews then either convert to Christianity or they also die....the believe that Jesus Christ will rule over one world wide religion....

Its part of their prophesy. If anything happens to upset their narrative.....then it means they are completely wrong. Therefore hypocritical Fundamentalist Christians support Israel and want to see it destroy Palestinians.....And the Fundamentalist Jews there accept the money they are sent by those faux Christians....which is against THEIR religion.....

its all pretty sick really...

It's all about bible prophecy. These Christians will do anything, kill anybody to facilitate the fruition of these prophecies.

And Muslims have their set of prophecies that they are willing to die or kill for, as well.

The religious beliefs of zealots may well wind up being the death of us ALL.

They use Israel as a camera inside the region where the oil fields lay.
I'm guessing anyway.

I never quite saw what was so special about a desert anyway.
Why is this land "Holy"?
You would think a rainforest would be considered more holy, wouldn't you?

The whole country was built by illegitimate means anyhow.
Just like what was done in Africa, Europeans just decided all on their own that this parcel of land is now a country & shoehorned people into a box that should never had been built.
Just like "Iraq" & "Iran". Meddling from outsiders not in the know.

What's even funnier is that the Israeli government are doing to the same thing to the displaced people of the land that Hitler did to the Jews in the first place.
And it didn't even take a half-century to do it!

Israel is propped up by European powers including the European descendants in the United States.
I believe HALF of our international problems will be over if we cut this albatross loose.
This fight is no longer about religion it's about "You killed my brother, you killed my mother, I'm gonna kill yours!"
Just for Tit for Tat shit, that's all.

Ain't gon' never be peace until somebody finally kills the other off.
I'm sure some of the citizens of Israel & Palestine caught in the middle would rather just figure out a way to coexist.
Regardless of how the box was put together, the box is there now so how do we live in this box without killing each other?
Can't do that when the Israeli government doesn't WANT co-existence & the angry displaced groups want payback.
It's ALSO a problem with the whole general region.
Neighbor governments are antagonizing the situation too by funding warlike groups.

USA wants that oil so they keep playing around in a region that has no direct relevance to themselves.
By funding Israel they TOO antagonize the situation.

I couldn't give a damn about Israel.
You don't see America doing all this crap for Liberia, do you?
That's a land artificially constructed to put displaced African slaves just like Israel was supposed to put displaced German Jews.
There are conflicts & wars all over the world but America is so focused on Israel.
Why?

I don't even think it's about the religious aspect. That's for the peanut gallery.
Whatever it is it's some money & control thing going on.
All I can see is oil but I bet there's lots more.

John Lucas
P.S.: Netanyahu wouldn't be so cocky if he knew USA wouldn't lapdog everything he says.