US would consider Israeli request for military aid

[Purveyor]

If Israel asks, the US would "seriously consider" granting the Defense Ministry additional financial assistance because of the huge expenses incurred during the war in Lebanon, a high-ranking US diplomat revealed Wednesday.

According to ministry estimates, Israel spent close to NIS 30 billion on ammunition, fuel and other expenses during the war. The defense establishment has already asked the Treasury to be compensated for that amount. The US provides Israel with military assistance of more than $2b. annually.

"A request has not yet come," the US official said. "But we would consider it seriously."

According to diplomatic sources in Jerusalem, the government was considering asking for additional aid - one report said a request might be for $2b. There was also talk in Washington of a large-scale financial package to help rebuild southern Lebanon, in part to keep the Iranians out of the process. Israel was apparently hoping to fold its aid request into this package.

---End of excerpt---

http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1154525975369&pagename=JPost/JPArticle/ShowFull

[ShockediSay]

1. FOR WHAT? OVERKILL?!?

or is it on account of bribery by Israel's Lobbyists?

[Tom Joad]

8. It's to make "the rubble bounce" in Lebanon.

[Tom Joad]

9. Money to kill Arab children? No problem.... But we have no money

to take care of kids here in the US. Go figure.

[indepat]

23. It's what happens in a country eaten up with neoconitis/religiosity

[whistle]

2. Of course, and then Bush would forgive Israel's debt and who

...ends up paying? American workers.

[nashville_brook]

3. note passed from US to Israel: you want $$? check: yes... no... maybe...

[theanarch]

11. absolutely not...

the note would read: How much $$$ do you want? $500M. $1B. $2B. Other_______
Prefered medium: Check___ Credit to Account___ Suitcases of cash____

[spindrifter]

4. Talk would have been cheaper--

but neither Israel nor the U.S. wanted to negotiate at the beginning of this mess. What crap--we would send a "large-scale financial package" to help rebuild s. Lebanon to keep the Iranians out. They are already in and the money is already being put to use.

[Leo 9]

5. Who cares what war costs when someone else pays for it?

Whether it's by putting it on the credit card, or by getting someone else to pay for it, when war lets you get away with such shenanigans, you've no motivation to quit.

[Canuckistanian]

21. Good point and welcome to DU!

Shenanigans indeed.


Welcome!

:toast:
:hi:

[ConcernedCanuk]

6. How about KindaSleazy getting that Israeli naval and air blockade removed?

.
.
.

There are ships out there with food and material supplies that can't get to Lebanon.

And countries that would fly in if the Israeli's weren't blocking their airways .

And after blowing up the main roads - -

The Israelis have literally put Lebanon under siege . . .

If I was Lebanon, I wouldn't take a penny of US money

Each penny has HUGE dollar obligations in the future

US don't lend countries money - they "buy" them with it

Anyhoo - it's sorta China's money anyways -

How many trillion does the US owe China??

hmmmm

[eccles12]

7. Main reason why the neocons need to be voted out of office. The US

is merely cannon fodder and a blank check for Israeli occupation, agression, and atrocities.

[TexasLawyer]

17. appearances

At least this is how much of the Arab world will view such a subsidy.

[MrPrax]

10. Send them more cluster bombs

Israeli cluster bombs still killing Lebanese -UN

UNITED NATIONS, Aug 30 (Reuters) - Cluster bombs dropped by Israel on southern Lebanon in the conflict with Hizbollah are still threatening civilians, a top U.N. official said on Wednesday, calling Israel "completely immoral" for using the weapons in residential areas.

...

"I hope the U.S. will talk to the Israelis on that," Egeland told a news conference. "It's an outrage that we have 100,000 unexploded bombs among where children, women, civilians, shop keepers and farmers are now going to tread."

Egeland criticized Israel for firing nearly all of the cluster bombs during the last three days of its month-long war with Lebanon's Hizbollah.

"What's shocking and completely immoral is that 90 percent of the cluster bomb strikes occurred in the last 72 hours of the conflict, when we knew there would be a resolution and an end of this," Egeland said.

Cluster bombs burst into bomblets and spread out near the ground. While some aim to destroy tanks, others are designed to kill or maim humans over a wide area.

Reuters

****

UN denounces Israel cluster bombs

The UN's humanitarian chief has accused Israel of "completely immoral" use of cluster bombs in Lebanon.

BBC

****

UN official: Israel's bombing of Lebanon 'immoral'

The UN humanitarian chief on Wednesday accused Israel of "shocking" and "completely immoral" behavior for dropping large numbers of cluster bombs on Lebanon when a cease-fire in its war with Hizbullah was in sight.
Jerusalem Post

Since the ceasefire 12 Lebanese have been killed by cluster bombs...

[dreamsvsnightmares]

12. Would someone explain to me why Lantos (D)

was standing over there in Israel crowing that he will put a hold on funds to Lebanon for reconstruction unless they do what the Israelis want on the border of Syria. Is he up for re-election? If he is get rid of him, he is a DINO

[LynnTheDem]

13. Dear New Orleanians...just tell bush you're all from Israel!

Then for sure you'll finally get financial assistance from the bushCabal!

[Purveyor]

16. WOW. What a totally un-PC campaign ad could be made on that

premise...

[Kelvin Mace]

14. Aren't we spending enough money

paying for our own mistakes without paying for Israel's as well?

[Charlie Brown]

15. I didn't want this war

and I really resent having to fit the bill for it.

We can't have student-loans or healthcare, or benefits for veterans, but we can pay for Israel to have them? If we do grant "financial assistance," it will be a new low for this administration.

[leesa]

18. Funny. As though Israel even needs to request...we just give it to them fo

them for free...keep those wars brewing boyz and girls. Our special little welfare state.

[TexasLawyer]

19. The US ALREADY gives Israel a LOT of $$$

from the December 09, 2002 edition

Economist tallies swelling cost of Israel to US

By David R. Francis | Staff writer of The Christian Science Monitor

Since 1973, Israel has cost the United States about $1.6 trillion. If divided by today's population, that is more than $5,700 per person.

<snip>

Israel is the largest recipient of US foreign aid. It is already due to get $2.04 billion in military assistance and $720 million in economic aid in fiscal 2003. It has been getting $3 billion a year for years.

Adjusting the official aid to 2001 dollars in purchasing power, Israel has been given $240 billion since 1973, Stauffer reckons. In addition, the US has given Egypt $117 billion and Jordan $22 billion in foreign aid in return for signing peace treaties with Israel.

<snip>

http://www.csmonitor.com/2002/1209/p16s01-wmgn.html

[daleo]

20. At current exchange rates $2 billion U.S. is about 9 billion NIS

So, the U.S. taxpayer would be picking up about one third of the tab (not counting the usual $2 billion in assistance).

And yet, New Orleans languishes.

[babylonsister]

22. Would Consider? BULLSHIT! nt

[mitchum]

24. Fuck that $hit!

[Zhade]

25. While Israel continues to violate the cease-fire?

See, this is what we call "bad P.R." - if they think this wouldn't inflame the Middle East even more, they're not paying attention!