'Defense demands could set standard of living back 20 years'

[bemildred]

I guess Lebanon is not the only place damaged by Olmert's war.

Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, Defense Minister Amir Peretz and Finance Minister Abraham Hirchson are to meet this morning to discuss defense establishment budgetary demands through 2010.

Defense officials are seeking NIS 30 billion, mostly in fiscal 2007 and 2008, for resupplying, reacquiring weapons systems damaged during the war and preparing for the next war based on the lessons of recent hostilities, including developing new arms. The defense establishment is working under the assumption the Israel Defense Forces needs to be prepared quickly.

However, according to a senior defense establishment official, cabinet compliance to the demand would subjugate the entire civilian establishment to military demands and constitute a mortal blow to civil budgets, including infrastructure and education.

"If the Defense Ministry demand for an additional NIS 30 billion in 2007 to 2010 is accepted, Israel will return to the 'Lost Decade' <1974-85 after the Yom Kippur War, when defense budgets dwarfed civil budgets and inflation was in triple digits>," the official said yesterday.

Haaretz

[Double T]

1. Israel and the United States BOTH had better rethink..........

what the HELL they are doing!! War is not producing ANYTHING except destruction and it is more than apparent that NOBODY can afford IT!!! What would you expect from a bunch of NEOCON idiots??? Devaluing the currency even further will NOT solve the problem.